Economy: Alan Walters diary (unemployment) [Heseltine discusses election strategy - go for June; secret meeting with PM on unemployment - “desperately anxious to prevent leaks”][released 2012]

Thursday 14th October 1982

Peter M [Peter Middleton] away - but B/E have exhausted index linked tap + prices rising steeply

E Cttee - Ind Relations Leg - not much to be done

Fast Breedes Reactor (Douneray) will uranium run out? GB ahead of the Field? V. complex

YWS - NT [Norman Tebbit] tried domestic servants - great plea from Janet Y [Lady Janet Young] that they were working mothers and help for the old! PM unhappy with “Indexing” limits [word unclear] to £42 to £47.

I, NT, CP [Cecil Parkinson] + Heseltine discussed election strategy - go for June and avoid the bump of unemployment of youths leaving school - and good inflation results

Lunch Alfred Goldstein

Michael Beesley - DI [Department of Industry] (Bradbury) had completely misrepresented him as against my scheme - not true, he was keen on it.

Alfred Goldstein - PM lunched with P Secs and I asked why I was not there

Secret meeting of PM WW [William Whitelaw] NT [Norman Tebbit] NF [Norman Fowler], GH [Sir Geoffrey Howe] on unemployment - desperately anxious to prevent leaks

- quite silly since [sic]

H/Lords - Chile’s ex foreign Minister Hugh Thomas etc

Simon … MP and Chairman of Foreign Affairs said a DI man said I was holding up the sale because I was insisting on a new procurement policy!

Dinner Ian Gow - wants me to stay on till election - thought Gov of B/E OK but I said it would politicize the post.