Joe Haines
Encyclopedia
Joseph Thomas William Haines (born 29 January 1928, Rotherhithe
, London
) is a British
journalist and former press secretary to Labour leader and Prime Minister Harold Wilson
(1969-76).
In 1974 Wilson had a health scare over a racing heart complaint, but "I told the press, who believed me when I said that Harold had the flu," Haines recalled in 2004. "We had an economic crisis and we had a majority of three", he explained.
In Glimmers of Twilight (2003), Haines claims that Wilson's doctor Joseph Stone
offered to murder Marcia Falkender
, the head of Wilson's political office, after she attempted to blackmail Wilson over an affair they had twenty years earlier. The BBC, in an out-of-court settlement with Falkender, paid her £75,000 after these claims were repeated in The Lavender List
, a drama documentary written by Francis Wheen
and broadcast in 2006. Although Haines himself has not been sued, as a libel action involving him as the source it is generally accepted that the BBC settled because the original claimant would not stand behind the story. Roy Hattersley
later referred to Glimmers of Twilight as a "book of tall tales". The allegations relating to Stone were repeated in the BBC's documentary The Secret World of Whitehall (2011).
Not long after Wilson's resignation as Prime Minister, Haines published a book The Politics of Power about his experience of Britsh political life. Attention mainly concentrated on two chapters about Marcia Williams and her influence, which was meat and drink to the right wing press - most of whom were unable to accept a non-Conservative Prime Minister and particularly one who "retired undefeated" as Wilson had done. Haines claimed that Ms Williams' troublesome presence had been the real cause of Wilson's resignation. What he wrote in the book denied Wilson's statement at the time of his resignatiion that when he came back to power in 1974, he had told the Queen that he would not continue after he had reached the age of 60. Had that statement been untrue, the Queen would have known it and it seems unlikely, therefore, that knowing that, she would have attended a dinner hosted by Wilson at 10 Downing Street to mark the end of his premiership - even less likely that she would have made him a personal gift of a Garter knighthood. Wilson actually knew that he had Altzheimer's Disease when he returned to power - as confirmed by his doctors - and wanted to exit while he was still capable of carrying out the job of Prime Ministers. Haines' antipathy towards Marcia Williams seems, in view of the ludicrous accusations that he made in later years, to have become an obsession. Some comentators (e.g. Brian Sedgemore
) considered that The Politics of Power was an interesting account, but the chapters about Marcia Williams were the weakest in the book.
In a 2010 interview, Haines claimed that in the aftermath of the February 1974 UK general election, Harold Wilson had planned to discredit Liberal
leader Jeremy Thorpe by exposing Thorpe's relationship with Norman Scott in the event of the Conservative
government reaching an agreement with the Liberals that would have permitted it to remain in power.
Haines turned down a peerage
from Wilson in the 1976 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours
in part, he claimed, because he did not wish to be awarded one in a list also consisting of Joe Kagan
and Eric Miller
, already under suspicion of criminal activity at the time.
Later, he was an assistant editor, columnist and chief leader writer at the Daily Mirror. In 1988 the authorised biography by Haines of Robert Maxwell was published. The Mirror's then owner commissioned the work to pre-empt a biography by investigative journalist Tom Bower
, which Maxwell unsuccessfully attempted to have withdrawn. Haines' biography was generally considered to be encomium and was treated with a mixture of ridicule and extreme criticism by the media at the time of its release - The Times referred to it as "notorious". According to Tom Bower, Haines' biography was so flattering Maxwell would give out copies instead of business cards. A report in 2001 by the Trade and Industry Department inspectors into the collapse of Maxwell's business empire found that Haines "had accepted the position [with Maxwell] and ought to have discharged the responsibilities that went with the position. He therefore bears a limited measure of responsibility" for the debacle.
Rotherhithe
Rotherhithe is a residential district in inner southeast London, England and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is located on a peninsula on the south bank of the Thames, facing Wapping and the Isle of Dogs on the north bank, and is a part of the Docklands area...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
journalist and former press secretary to Labour leader and Prime Minister Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
(1969-76).
In 1974 Wilson had a health scare over a racing heart complaint, but "I told the press, who believed me when I said that Harold had the flu," Haines recalled in 2004. "We had an economic crisis and we had a majority of three", he explained.
In Glimmers of Twilight (2003), Haines claims that Wilson's doctor Joseph Stone
Joseph Stone, Baron Stone
Dr Sir Joseph Ellis Stone, Baron Stone was an officer in the British Army, and a doctor, most notably to Harold Wilson. He was given the name of Joseph Ellis Silverstone...
offered to murder Marcia Falkender
Marcia Falkender, Baroness Falkender
Marcia Matilda Falkender, Baroness Falkender CBE , formerly Marcia Williams , is a British Labour politician, being first the private secretary for, and then the political secretary and head of political office to, Harold Wilson.-Background and early career:Born Marcia Field, Falkender was educated...
, the head of Wilson's political office, after she attempted to blackmail Wilson over an affair they had twenty years earlier. The BBC, in an out-of-court settlement with Falkender, paid her £75,000 after these claims were repeated in The Lavender List
The Lavender List
The Lavender List is a docudrama broadcast on BBC Four in March 2006 about the events that led to the drafting of the "Lavender List", the satirical name for Harold Wilson's 1976 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours.-The List:...
, a drama documentary written by Francis Wheen
Francis Wheen
Francis James Baird Wheen is a British journalist, writer and broadcaster.-Early life and education:Wheen was born into an army family and educated at two independent schools: Copthorne Preparatory School near Crawley, West Sussex and Harrow School in north west London.-Life and career:Running...
and broadcast in 2006. Although Haines himself has not been sued, as a libel action involving him as the source it is generally accepted that the BBC settled because the original claimant would not stand behind the story. Roy Hattersley
Roy Hattersley
Roy Sydney George Hattersley, Baron Hattersley is a British Labour politician, author and journalist from Sheffield. He served as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1983 to 1992.-Early life:...
later referred to Glimmers of Twilight as a "book of tall tales". The allegations relating to Stone were repeated in the BBC's documentary The Secret World of Whitehall (2011).
Not long after Wilson's resignation as Prime Minister, Haines published a book The Politics of Power about his experience of Britsh political life. Attention mainly concentrated on two chapters about Marcia Williams and her influence, which was meat and drink to the right wing press - most of whom were unable to accept a non-Conservative Prime Minister and particularly one who "retired undefeated" as Wilson had done. Haines claimed that Ms Williams' troublesome presence had been the real cause of Wilson's resignation. What he wrote in the book denied Wilson's statement at the time of his resignatiion that when he came back to power in 1974, he had told the Queen that he would not continue after he had reached the age of 60. Had that statement been untrue, the Queen would have known it and it seems unlikely, therefore, that knowing that, she would have attended a dinner hosted by Wilson at 10 Downing Street to mark the end of his premiership - even less likely that she would have made him a personal gift of a Garter knighthood. Wilson actually knew that he had Altzheimer's Disease when he returned to power - as confirmed by his doctors - and wanted to exit while he was still capable of carrying out the job of Prime Ministers. Haines' antipathy towards Marcia Williams seems, in view of the ludicrous accusations that he made in later years, to have become an obsession. Some comentators (e.g. Brian Sedgemore
Brian Sedgemore
Brian Charles John Sedgemore is a former Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom; he was a Member of Parliament from 1974 until 1979, and from 1983 until 2005...
) considered that The Politics of Power was an interesting account, but the chapters about Marcia Williams were the weakest in the book.
In a 2010 interview, Haines claimed that in the aftermath of the February 1974 UK general election, Harold Wilson had planned to discredit Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
leader Jeremy Thorpe by exposing Thorpe's relationship with Norman Scott in the event of the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
government reaching an agreement with the Liberals that would have permitted it to remain in power.
Haines turned down a peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
from Wilson in the 1976 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours
1976 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours
The 1976 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours were announced on 27 May 1976 to mark the resignation of Prime Minister Harold Wilson. The list of honours became known satirically as the "Lavender List".-Controversy:...
in part, he claimed, because he did not wish to be awarded one in a list also consisting of Joe Kagan
Joseph Kagan, Baron Kagan
Joseph Kagan, Baron Kagan was a British industrialist and the founder of Kagan Textiles, of Elland, which made raincoats from the waterproof Gannex fabric he had invented. Gannex raincoats were most famously worn by Harold Wilson...
and Eric Miller
Eric Miller (businessman)
Sir Eric Merton Miller was a British businessman who committed suicide while under investigation for fraud.-Early life:...
, already under suspicion of criminal activity at the time.
Later, he was an assistant editor, columnist and chief leader writer at the Daily Mirror. In 1988 the authorised biography by Haines of Robert Maxwell was published. The Mirror's then owner commissioned the work to pre-empt a biography by investigative journalist Tom Bower
Tom Bower
Tom Bower is a British writer, noted for his revelatory investigative work such as his unauthorized biographies.A former Panorama reporter, his books include unauthorised biographies of Tiny Rowland, Robert Maxwell, Mohamed Al-Fayed, Geoffrey Robinson, Gordon Brown and Richard Branson...
, which Maxwell unsuccessfully attempted to have withdrawn. Haines' biography was generally considered to be encomium and was treated with a mixture of ridicule and extreme criticism by the media at the time of its release - The Times referred to it as "notorious". According to Tom Bower, Haines' biography was so flattering Maxwell would give out copies instead of business cards. A report in 2001 by the Trade and Industry Department inspectors into the collapse of Maxwell's business empire found that Haines "had accepted the position [with Maxwell] and ought to have discharged the responsibilities that went with the position. He therefore bears a limited measure of responsibility" for the debacle.