For the first time in many, many weeks, I’ve had a proper weekend off. And I’m exhausted. Most of the weekend was spent re-writing the manifesto in the living room of my father-in-law’s home in West Yorkshire. Health warning to bored lobby types – this does not mean I will be co-authoring a policy pamphlet with Stephen Byers in the next few weeks 
. But it was a great weekend. The odd glass of wine was drunk. Many Ry Cooder albums were played. Books were purchased, read and argued over.
At 2am on Sunday morning we discussed Ben Pimlott’s biography of Harold Wilson. We both hold the book in great affection; me, because I remember Mr Pimlott researching his subject in the Labour Party library during the 1980′s; my father-in-law because he lives up the hill from where Harold used to reside.
The early hours of Sunday morning were glorious. A blanket of stars in a clear sky. A warm summer’s night. Perfect for a stroll around the streets where young Harold used to walk to school.
At the spot where the great man went to primary school, we looked up at the sky and the brightest, most glorious meteor I have ever seen lit up the seven hills of Huddersfield. Harold sent me a sign! Now I’ve just got to work out what he was telling me.
So on the subject of books, here are two on the Watson family summer reads list;
Paul Carr – Bringing nothing to the party
Paul’s a very funny writer who gets on well with the editorial board of Private Eye
Emma Burstall – Gym and slimline. I’ve met Emma Burstall a couple of times but more importantly, she’s a great writer too.
If they’re published on time, both books will be sharing a beach in Dorset with us this month. ,
10 comments ↓
Bloody hell! A picture!
Like the new layout.
Tom – the recent biography of Raymond Williams is well worth a read too.
I’m sure all those hours spent on the manifesto will be rewarded, somehow.
http://kerroncross.blogspot.com/2008/08/cabinet-moves-to-west-midlands.html
Yeah, I always wondered when you were going to come out as part of the Byers/Milburn tribe. I also like the new layout.
Harold was telling you that you’re due to be promoted in September. Home Office or Health. If it’s the Home Office, bring back the birch. If it’s health, visit the Scandinavian countries to see how they’re successfully tackling HAIs.
Hi Tom
I didn’t know you had links to Huddersfield. You may remember its my home town. It’d be great to meet up there at some point and remember old times at Hull.
Take care,
Steve
I’m reading a Paul Foot biography of Wilson (2nd hand so only £2…credit crunch doesn’t have to hit you in the brain too…).
Maybe he was hinting that we’ve got to make Labour something worth noticing again against the blackness of the sky….
Of course, the meteor sign was telling you to tell Gordon to go. That’s how eveything is being read these days.
Nice re-design, btw.
Wilson was telling you to put more funding into British Science and Engineering.
Juding by these comments it shows just how enigmatic Harold Wilson really was; he sent us all a message.
Steve – I didn’t have a great connection to Huddersfield when we were at college but it is a great place. Which part of town are you from?
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