Tell me why you would prefer an extensive reshuffle and what you think it would achieve.'
Urquhart did not care for this. He had expected some inevitable discussion of individual appointments, but he was being asked to justify the strategy behind the reshuffle proposals before he had any chance to sniff out the Prime Minister's own views. He knew that it was not healthy for a Chief Whip to fail to read his Prime Minister's mind correctly, and he wondered whether he was being set up.
As he peered into the sunlight streaming in from behind the Prime Minister, he could read nothing of the expression on Collingridge's face. He desperately wished now that he had not committed all his thoughts to paper instead of talking them through, but it was too late for regrets.
'Of course, they are only suggestions, indications really of what you might be able to do. I thought in general that it might be better to undertake more rather than fewer changes, simply to indicate that you are firmly in charge of the Government and that you are expecting a lot of new ideas and new thinking from your Ministers. And a chance to retire just a few of our older colleagues; regrettable, but necessary if you are to bring in some new blood and bring on those Junior Ministers who have shown most promise.'
Dammit, he thought suddenly, that was a stupid thing to say with that ancient bastard Williams sitting on the PM's right hand. He knew he should have been more careful, and now he had a knot in the pit of his stomach. Collingridge had never seemed to be a Prime Minister with grip, one who enjoyed making decisions, and Urquhart had felt sure that most if not all of his proposals would be favourably received. All of his suggested promotions were men of talent which few would deny. He hoped that even fewer would realise that most were also men who owed him.
Ministers whom he had helped out of trouble, whose weaknesses he knew, whose sins he had covered up and whose wives and electors would never find out.
Williams was staring at him with his old, cunning eyes. Did he know, had he figured it out? The room was silent as the Prime Minister tapped his pencil on the desk, clearly having trouble with the argument Urquhart had put forward.
'We've been in power for longer than any Party since the war, which presents a new challenge. Boredom. We need to ensure we have a fresh image for the Government team,' Urquhart continued. 'We must guard against going stale.'
That's very interesting, Francis, and I agree with you to a large extent. Teddy and I have been discussing just that sort of problem. We must bring on a new generation of talent, find new impetus by putting new men in new places. And I find many of your suggestions for changes at the lower Ministerial levels below Cabinet very persuasive.'
'But they are not the ones that matter,' Urquhart muttered beneath his breath.
The trouble is that too much change at the top can be very disruptive. It takes most Cabinet Ministers a year simply to find their feet in a new Department, and a year is a long time to struggle through without being able to show positive signs of progress. Rather than Cabinet changes helping to implement our new programme, Teddy's view is that on balance it would more likely delay the programme.'
What new programme?, Urquhart screamed inside his skull. We deliberately published the most flaccid and uncontroversial manifesto we could get away with! He calmed himself before responding.
‘D on't you think by cutting our majority the electorate was telling us of its desire for some degree of change?'
'An interesting point. But as you yourself said, no Government in our lifetimes has been in office as long as we have: Without in any way being complacent, Francis, I don't think we could have rewritten the history books if die voters believed we had run out of steam. On balance, I think it suggests that they are content with what we offer, and there is no great sign of them demanding
Urquhart did not care for this. He had expected some inevitable discussion of individual appointments, but he was being asked to justify the strategy behind the reshuffle proposals before he had any chance to sniff out the Prime Minister's own views. He knew that it was not healthy for a Chief Whip to fail to read his Prime Minister's mind correctly, and he wondered whether he was being set up.
As he peered into the sunlight streaming in from behind the Prime Minister, he could read nothing of the expression on Collingridge's face. He desperately wished now that he had not committed all his thoughts to paper instead of talking them through, but it was too late for regrets.
'Of course, they are only suggestions, indications really of what you might be able to do. I thought in general that it might be better to undertake more rather than fewer changes, simply to indicate that you are firmly in charge of the Government and that you are expecting a lot of new ideas and new thinking from your Ministers. And a chance to retire just a few of our older colleagues; regrettable, but necessary if you are to bring in some new blood and bring on those Junior Ministers who have shown most promise.'
Dammit, he thought suddenly, that was a stupid thing to say with that ancient bastard Williams sitting on the PM's right hand. He knew he should have been more careful, and now he had a knot in the pit of his stomach. Collingridge had never seemed to be a Prime Minister with grip, one who enjoyed making decisions, and Urquhart had felt sure that most if not all of his proposals would be favourably received. All of his suggested promotions were men of talent which few would deny. He hoped that even fewer would realise that most were also men who owed him.
Ministers whom he had helped out of trouble, whose weaknesses he knew, whose sins he had covered up and whose wives and electors would never find out.
Williams was staring at him with his old, cunning eyes. Did he know, had he figured it out? The room was silent as the Prime Minister tapped his pencil on the desk, clearly having trouble with the argument Urquhart had put forward.
'We've been in power for longer than any Party since the war, which presents a new challenge. Boredom. We need to ensure we have a fresh image for the Government team,' Urquhart continued. 'We must guard against going stale.'
That's very interesting, Francis, and I agree with you to a large extent. Teddy and I have been discussing just that sort of problem. We must bring on a new generation of talent, find new impetus by putting new men in new places. And I find many of your suggestions for changes at the lower Ministerial levels below Cabinet very persuasive.'
'But they are not the ones that matter,' Urquhart muttered beneath his breath.
The trouble is that too much change at the top can be very disruptive. It takes most Cabinet Ministers a year simply to find their feet in a new Department, and a year is a long time to struggle through without being able to show positive signs of progress. Rather than Cabinet changes helping to implement our new programme, Teddy's view is that on balance it would more likely delay the programme.'
What new programme?, Urquhart screamed inside his skull. We deliberately published the most flaccid and uncontroversial manifesto we could get away with! He calmed himself before responding.
‘D on't you think by cutting our majority the electorate was telling us of its desire for some degree of change?'
'An interesting point. But as you yourself said, no Government in our lifetimes has been in office as long as we have: Without in any way being complacent, Francis, I don't think we could have rewritten the history books if die voters believed we had run out of steam. On balance, I think it suggests that they are content with what we offer, and there is no great sign of them demanding
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