On 15 February 1977, former Prime Minister Harold Wilson was interviewed by ITN's Julian Haviland on the row that had emerged after Joe Haines, Wilson's long-time press secretary, released a book containing damaging allegations about his former boss. The Politics of Power, sections of which were serialised in The Times, alleged that Wilson was under the influence of Marcia Williams, Wilson's private and political secretary. Specifically, Haines alleged that Wilson's resignation honours list was drawn up by Williams, by now Baroness Falkenden, to include honours and knighthoods for herself and her friends. Haines argued that Wilson had been scared of Williams' "temper", and made decisions based on a desire to avoid incurring her wrath rather than a belief of what was right. Wilson strenuously denied the allegations, arguing that Haines attempted to influence policy more than Williams, and that the so-called Lavender List of resignation honours was his decision.

Joe Haines and Harold Wilson are once again in the news after Haines, aged 96, has revealed that Wilson confessed to a secret extramarital affair during his second premiership. After keeping the affair a secret for more than 50 years, Haines and Downing Street colleague Bernard Donaghue disclosed that Wilson had actually been in a relationship with his deputy press secretary, Janet Hewlett-Davies, 22 years his junior. Haines said the revelation was motivated by a desire to ensure the historical record of Wilson's time in office was as accurate as possible.

#HaroldWilson #UKPolitics #Labour #Affair #Scandal #MarciaWilliams #JoeHaines #LabourParty #1970s

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