First Among Equals by Jeffrey Archer Read Free Book Online Page B

catching,” she said, before
adding, “I’m afraid I don’t get off until tenthirty.”
    “Neither do I ,” said Simon, “so I could pick you up at the hospital.”
    “You sound a
bit low,” said Elizabeth.
    “Not
low...older,” said Simon. “I’ve grown up about twenty.years in the last two
days.”
    Although he
wasn’t much more than a glorified messenger boy, Charles Hampton was enjoying
the chal47 lenge of his new appointment as a junior Opposition spokesman in
Environment. At least he felt he was near the center of affairs. Even if he was
not actually making decisions on future policy, he was at least listening to
them. Whenever a debate on housing took place in the Commons, he was allowed to
sit on the front bench along, with the rest of the Conservative team. He had
already caused the defeat of two minor amendments on the Town and Country
Planning Bill, and had added one of his own, relating to the protection of
trees. “ it isn’t preventing a world war,” he admitted
to Fiona, “but in its own way it’s quite important, because if we win the next
General Election, I’m now confident of being, offered a junior office. Then
I’ll have a real chance to shape policy.”
    Fiona continued
to play her part, hosting monthly dinner parties at their Eaton Square house.
By the end of the year every member of the Shadow Cabinet had been to dinner at
least once at the Hamptons’, where Fiona never allowed a menu to be repeated or
wore the same dress twice.
    When the
parliamentary year began again in October, Charles was one ofthe names
continually dropped by the political analysts as someone to watch.
    “He makes
things happen,” was the sentiment that was expressed again and again. He could
barely cross the members’ lobby without a reporter’s trying to solicit his
views on everything from butter subsidies to rape.
    Fiona clipped
out of the papers every mention of her husband and couldn’t help noticing that
only one new member was receiving more press coverage than Charles-a young man
t”rom Leeds named Raymond Gould.
    Raymond Gould
could be found tapping away late Y into the night on his ancient typewriter
with his phone off the hook. He was writing page after page, checking, then
rechecking the proofs, and often referring to the piles of books that cluttered
his desk.
    When Raymond’s
‘Full Employment at Any Cost’ was published and subtitled “Reflections of a
Worker Educated After the Thirties,” it caused an
immediate sensation. The suggestion that the unions would become impotent and
the Labour Party would need to be more innovative to capture the young vote was
never likely to endear him to the Party’s rank and file.
    Raymond had
anticipated that it would provoke a storm of abuse from union leaders, and even
among some of his more leftwing colleagues. But when A.J.P. Taylor suggested in
the London Times that it was the most profound and realistic look at the Labour
Party since Anthony Crosland’s The Future oj* Socialism, and had produced a
politician of rare honesty and courage, Raymond knew his strategy and hard work
were paying dividends.
    He found
himself a regular topic of conversation at every political dinner party in
London.
    Joyce thought
the book a magnificent piece of scholarship, and she spent a considerable time
trying to convince trade unionists that, in fact, it showed a passionate
concern for their movement, while at the same time realistically, considering
the Labour Party’s chances of governing in the next decade.
    The Labour
Chief Whip took Raymond aside and told him, “You’ve caused a right stir, lad.
Now keep your head down for a few months and you’ll probably find every Cabinet
member quoting you as if it was party policy.”
    Raymond took
the Chief Whip’s advice, but he did not have to wait months.
    Just three
weeks after the book’s publication Raymond received a missive from Number 10
requesting him to check over the Prime Minister’s speech to the