Geoffrey Howe
Geoffrey Howe approaching 80 and losing none of his powers of analysis and perception is in Cardiff to deliver the Welsh Centre for International Affairs annual lecture on ‘Re-creating. Britains Foreign Polcy’, Geoffrey first attends a party function in the city centre at the excellent, Officers Mess Club.
Signing the visitors’ book I innocently ask why the Andrew who has signed in doesn’t have a secon name–’:Oh I see that Andrew–Andrew Windsor’. A party member is despatched to get some lava bread from Cardiff market- a compulsory stop off on Lord Howe visits and then over to the Temple of Peace which has no equivalent in Pyongyang more is the pity.
The lecture is penetrating and thought provoking — ‘we should not slavishly follow America — worst foreign policy decision for 50 years’ and so on Memories of the Lady PM giving Reagan a lambasting over Grenada for example are cited as evidence of amore robust partnership.
Geoffrey also shares recollections of being stopped in Banbury– Weren’t
you the geezer who hit Maggie with a cricket bat?! It was left to our Chairman for the evening,. Archbishop Barrie Morgan to ask the best question of the evening ‘Should we have an updated Trident?’
Answer ‘Possibly not though I may be speaking as an ex Chancellor rather
than an ex Foreign Secretary’
A superb dinner afterwards and Geoffrey and I discuss the Assembly and the
current state of Welsh politics. Interestingly he and Elspeth are very close friends with Denis and Edna Healey.– despite the dead sheep gag, so he is a forgiving man too.
