The Week
The Tories' conference was a jollier affair than the previous week's events at Blackpool. Banquo's ghost appeared at the feast in the form of Mr Enoch Powell, and his scheme for repatriating immigrants at a cost of 1000 each, but he was sent packing by Messrs Merlyn Rees and William Whitelaw who said that Mr Powell would be totally rejected by the British people.
Mr James Prior wooed the trade unions with a promise—suitably muted for his Conference audience—that the Conservatives would not repeal the closed shop legislation. Mr Whitelaw advocated proportional representation for the proposed Scotch 'Assembly'. Mr Peter Walker said that he would join Mrs Thatcher. And Mr Edward Heath expressed his complete confidence that Mrs Thatcher would take the necessary difficult steps.
The Kissinger plan for Rhodesia continued to fall apart. As Bishop Abel Muzorewa was greeted by a crowd of 100,000 on his return to Salisbury, Mr Joshua Nkomo refused his support for the Pretoria agreement. The two leaders then met to discuss matters further. The Ugandan government announced that it was suing John Conteh, the British 'heavyweight boxer'. Dr Coggan, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was held up in his Sudanese travels by an outbreak of Lassa fever.
In America the Agriculture Secretary, Mr Earl Butz, was forced to resign for saying in private conversation that 'blacks were only interested in what the papers called "a
sexual preference", loose shoes, and a warm "lavatory" '. The Guardian bravely gave the original text. The Supreme Court gave its approval for the death penalty awaiting 150 American prisoners. Mr Simon, the Secretary oft he Treasury, warned OPEC members against further oil price rises.
Great Britain plunged into a row with her Common Market partners. They wanted to devalue the 'green pound' whose present artificial value allows advantageous British purchase of food supplies. Mr Silkin, the agriculture minister, temporarily got his way. but the EEC came back to tell him that he couldn't put a penny on the price of milk.
In the German general election the Christian Democrats made substantial gains, taking 48.6 per cent of the votes against the Social Democrats' 42.6. However, the CDU's leader Dr Kohl, failed to form a government and the Social Democrats remained in office with their Liberal partner. The Italian government announced crisis measures including the end of midweek holidays. Senor Villare of the Spanish Council of the Realm was assassinated in San Sebastian. '
The Prices Commission told television rental companies that their charges were too high. British Rail's new high-speed train started service from Cardiff to Paddington, where passengers could find no taxis. Fares on internal flights were increased by up to I2 per cent, to take effect in November. The Financial Times index rose and then fell to 310.1 on Wednesday.
Mgr Lamont, Catholic bishop of Umtali, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment bY a Rhodesian court for abetting terrorism. An Arab mob desecrated Jewish holy places In Hebron. The Palestinians retreated further in Lebanon. Mr George Fernandes, a political prisoner in India, appeared in chains in the dock. The French government withdrew the Foreign Legion from Corsica. In Bangkok a barman asked three youths to turn down the juke-box as he was watching the Ali-Nortor! fight. They shot him dead. Muhammad All announced his resignation. He said that the Germans 'ain't Muslim and never will be'. A Russian trawler captain was charged with six offences in Cork as Ireland introduced a seventeen-day fishing ban. The Japanese asked the Russians to pay for the trasnport back to Russia of the dismantled MiG. A man threw a copy of The Administration of Justice in England and Wales at a High Court judge. A girl jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge carrying the ashes of a. friend. And in the newly 'independent Transkei the first two hangmen were appointed, from 'applicants from all over South Africa'.
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