200 APPROX
IMMEDIATE
CYPHER CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HAMILTON 2016207
CONFIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL
DESK3Y 281822Z
w319)
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELEGRAM NUMBER PERSONAL 49 CF 8 DECEMBER 1977.
FOLLOWING FOR P.U.S.
1. MANY THANKS FOR YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER PERSONAL 40. GRATEFUL FOR THE PROMISE NOT TO COMPOUND MY PROBLEMS BUT REGRET TO SAY THAT THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN COMPOUNDED TO A POINT WHEN MY FOLITICAL EFFICACY (LET ALONE THE PHYSICAL SECURITY OF MYSELF AND MY FAMILY) MIGHT HAVE BEEN JEOPARDISED. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A
WORD FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON THIS MATTER.
2. YOU SHOULD KNOW OF THE REACTION HERE: WHICH MAY SEEM REMOTE AND CURIOUS IN LONDON, BUT IN THIS SMALL ISLAND, WHERE EMOTIONS ARE EASILY AROUSED, THE REPORTS OF THE PROCEEDINGS IN THE HOUSE
OF COMPONS ARE BEING TREATED SENSATIONALLY IN THE MEDIA AND GREEDILY
EXPLOITED BY THE OPPOSITION, WHO MILITANT LEFT HAS PROBABLY BEEN FEEDING THE PASSIONS OF THE RIOTERS.
3. THE REUTERS STORY, BECAUSE OF THE UNFORTUNATE REASONS YOU
INDICATED, HELD THE FIELD HERE FOR TOO LONG AND HAS HAD WIDE CIRCULATION. MOREOVER, MOST OF THE READING PUBLIC DO NOT FOLLOW THE LEGAL NICETIES OF THE FULL HOUSE OF COMMONS DEBATE. THE
OPPOSITION HAVE MADE IT THE MAIN PRONG OF THEIR ATTACK ON THE
GOVERNMENT, CHARGING ALSO THAT THE PREMIER ATTEMPTED TO PUZZLE THE MEDIA BY SUPPRESSING ITS PUBLICATION (IN FACT HE CALLANTLY, AND SUCCESSFULLY, PERSUADED THE TWO TV STATIONS AND THE DAILY PAPER NOT TO PUBLISH IT, AS I HAD ASSURED HIM IT COULD NOT POSSIBLY BE ACCURATE).
CONFIDENTIAL
/ 4
THE FULL
•