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I was there that afternoon, all those years ago, in the audience and I remember the cut and thrust of the debate - from Meadowcroft to Hughes, they had their say and the audience hung on every word.

The final speaker in the debate was the Party President, David Penhaligon. Apparently he had considered staying out of the debate but was persuaded by David Steel to intervene at the last minute.

Brilliant Cornish oratory which turned the mood but not by much. The Meadowcroft amendment fell by 642 votes to 635 after four recounts of delegates. The unamended motion passed comfortably.

Some would never forgive Penhaligon for his actions - one local activist would call him at all hours and one such call delayed him on the morning of 22nd December when he should have been on his way to the Truro sorting office to thank the postal workers there for their efforts in the pre-Christmas period.

He was further delayed when reaching the scene of an accident near Probus when a van had skidded on the icy road and hit a tree seriously injuring the driver. The policeman waved him through reminding him of the need to wear a seat belt.

Saturday January 31st 1987:

David Penhaligon sat proudly in the hall in London. The introduction by Bamber Gascoigne had given no indication of the bombshell about to be dropped. He and others had meticulously planned this and had even had doubts up to the last minute.

To say the unveiling of the SDP's two newest members brought the house down would be an understatement. When Roy Jenkins came forward to enthusiastically shake the hand of his former Oxford contemporary, the picture went round the nation and the world while the third figure on the stage stood in the background.

The defections of former Prime Minister Edward Heath and Esher MP Ian Taylor would electrify politics with an election seemingly only a few weeks away.
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