Former PM's 'low cunning' exposed in secret document

Labour Prime Minister Jim Callaghan used 'low cunning' to oust opposition leader Margaret Thatcher from the Royal Box at an event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of women getting the vote, secret files reveal today.

He apparently wished not to be seen next to the Tory leader at a 1978 gala performance at the London Palladium.

However, Mrs Thatcher had ther last laugh, her party winning the General Election the following year to make her the new PM.

The Daily Mail reports that Callaghan's principal private secretary Ken Stowe advised him in a private note: "As I understand it, Princess Margaret's attendance at the gala will require most of the Royal Box to be allocated to her and her suite and in all probability if you were to attend with Mrs Callaghan (and a political adviser) there would be no room for anybody else.

"This is still being looked at but I think, with a mixture of sweet reasonableness and low cunning, we should be able to fix it."

The document released today by the National Archives under the rule which requires government files to be made available for public inspection after 30 years.