One of our graduates, Warren Morgan, has been in touch to share his reminiscences of one particular class way back in 1990:
“My claim to fame in the Politics Dept is that I was giving a presentation in one of Lord Norton’s seminars in November 1990 when the phone rang and kept ringing. After some time he gave in and answered, said “Yes, I will call you back” and put the phone down. He then said calmly “The Prime Minister has resigned. Do carry on Mr Morgan.” Of course all I and the others in the tutorial wanted to do was run out shouting, but there was still an hour to go…”
Actually, as I recall, the ‘phone kept ringing, I declined to answer it (my normal practice when I am teaching), and it was only when a secretary put her head round the door to explain that various media were trying to reach me that I answered. The students subsequently left the room while I did a live interview, we then resumed – Mr Morgan presenting his paper very professionally - but the ‘phone kept ringing, more interviews, and eventually we reached the end of the class with Mr Morgan still half-way through his paper. We decided that we would have to postpone the paper and the discussion until the next class, otherwise we would have been there all day.
I like to think it was a character-building experience for Mr Morgan. He went on to be elected Student Union President, followed by another of our students, one Tom Watson…
I was in my first year of secondary school when this happened and I remember it well because we were given time out of lessons to go and watch TV to see Mrs T’s resignation speech. I think that was when I realised the significance of politics in my life.
Millicent S; It’s one of those events you know where you were when it happened, a bit like JFK’s assassination – a bit before your time I appreciate.