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.Believe me, the Labor Party will be back in power within weeks." Townsend, on the other hand, was in no doubt that he567568 JEFFREY ARCHERshould back Mrs.Thatcher and wrap the Union Jack round the Globe."Argy Bargy" was the headline on Monday's edition, with a cartoon depicting General Galtieri as a cutthroat pirate.As the task force headed out of Portsmouth and on toward the South Atlantic, sales of the Globe rose to 300,000 for the first time in months.During the first few days of skirmishing even Prince Andrew was praised for his "gallant and heroic service" as a helicopter pilot.When the British submarine HMS Conqueror sunk the General Belgrano on 2 May, the Globe told the world "BULLSEYE!", and sales rose again.By the time the British forces had retaken Port Stanley, the Globe was selling over 500,000 copies a day, while sales of the Citizen had dipped slightly for the first time since Armstrong had become proprietor.When Peter Wakeham called Armstrong in New York to let him know the latest circulation figures, he jumped on the first flight back to London.By the time the triumphant British troops were sailing back home, the Globe was selling over a million copies a day, while the Citizen had dipped below four million for the first time in twenty-five years.When the fleet sailed into Portsmouth, the Globe launched a campaign to raise money for the widows whose gallant husbands had made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.Day after day, Bruce Kelly ran stories of heroism and pride alongside pictures of widows and their children-all of whom turned out to be readers of the Globe.On the day after the remembrance service at St.Paul's Cathedral, Armstrong called a council of war on the ninthTHE FOURTH ESTATE 569floor of Armstrong House.He was reminded quite unnecessarily by his circulation manager that most of the Globe's gains had been at the expense of the Citizen.Alistair McAlvoy still advised him not to panic.After all, the Globe was a rag; the Citizen remained a serious radical newspaper with a great reputation."It would be foolish to lower our standards simply to appease an upstart whose paper is not fit to be wrapped around a self-respecting serving of fish and chips," he said."Can you imagine the Citizen ever involving itself in a bingo competition? Another one of Kevin Rushcliffe's vulgar ideas." Armstrong made a note of the name.Bingo had put the Globe's circulation up by a further 100,000 copies a day, and he could see no reason why it shouldn't do the same for the Citizen.But he also knew that the team McAlvoy had built up over the past ten years was still fully behind its editor."Look at the Globe's front-page lead this morning," Armstrong said in a last desperate effort to make his point."Why don't we get stories like that?" "Because Freddie Starr wouldn't even make page eleven of the Citizen," said McAlvoy."And in any case, who cares a damn about his eating habits? We get offered stories like that every day, but we don't get the handful of writs that usually go with them." McAlvoy and his team left the meeting believing that they had persuaded the proprietor not to go down the same path as the Globe.T'heir confidence lasted only until the next quartees circulation figures landed on Armstrong's desk.Without consulting anyone, he picked up a phone and made an appointment to see Kevin Rushcliffe, the deputy editor of the Globe.570 JEFFREY ARCHER Rushcliffe arrived at Armstrong Communications later that afternoon.He couldn't have been in greater contrast to Alistair McAlvoy.He addressed Dick at their first meeting as if they were old friends, and talked in rapid-fire soundbites that the proprietor didn't begin to understand.Rushc1iffe left him in no doubt as to the immediate changes he would make if he were given a chance to edit the Citizen.'The editorials are too bland," he said."Let them know what you feel in a couple of sentences.No words with more than three syllables, and no sentences with more than ten words.Don't ever try to influence them.Just make sure you demand what they already want." An unusually subdued Armstrong explained to the young man that he would have to start as the deputy editor, "Because McAlvoy's contract has another seven months to run." Armstrong nearly changed his mind about the new appointment when Rushcliffe told him the package he expected.He wouldn't have given way so easily had he known the terms of Rushcliffe's contract with the Globe, or the fact that Bruce Kelly had no intention of renewing it at the end of the year.Three days later he sent a memo down to McAlvoy telling him that he had appointed Kevin Rushcliffe as his deputy.McAlvoy considered protesting at having the Globe's deputy editor foisted upon him, until his wife pointed out that he was due for retirement in seven months on a full pension, and that this was not the time to sacrifice his job on the altar of principle.When he arrived in the office the next morning, McAlvoy simply ignored his new deputy and his idea-a-minute for tomorrow's front page.When the Globe put a nude on page three and sold twoTHE FOURTH ESTATE 571million copies for the first time, McAlvoy declared at morning conference, "Over my dead body." No one felt able to point out that two or three of his best reporters had recently left the Citizen to join the Globe, while only Rushcliffe had made the journey in the opposite direction.As Armstrong continued to spend a great deal of his time preparing for a takeover battle in New York, he reluctantly continued to accept McAlvoy's judgment, not least because he didn't want to sack his most experienced editor only weeks before a general election.When Margaret Thatcher was returned to the Commons with a majority of 144, the Globe claimed the victory as theirs, and declared that this would surely hasten the downfall of the Citizen.Several commentators were quick to point out the irony of this particular statement.When Armstrong returned to England the following week for the monthly board meeting, Sir Paul raised the subject of the fall in the paper's circulation figures."While the Globe's continue to rise every month," Peter Wakeham interjected from the other end of the table."So what are we going to do about it?" asked the chairman, turning to face his chief executive.I have already put some plans in hand," saidArmstrong."Are we to be privy to these plans?" asked Sir Paul.I will brief the board fully at our next meeting," said Armstrong.Sir Paul didn't look satisfied, but made no further comment.The next day, Armstrong called for McAlvoy without bothering to consult anyone on the board.When the editor of the Citizen entered the proprietor's office, Armstrong572 JEFFREY ARCHERdidn't stand to greet him, and made no suggestion that he should take a seat."I'm sure you've worked out why I've asked to see you," he said."No, Dick, I haven't the slightest idea," replied McAlvoy innocently."Well, I've just seen the JICNAR figures for the past month.If we continue at this rate, the Globe will be selling more copies than we are by the end of the year." "And you will still be the proprietor of a great national newspaper, while Townsend will still be publishing a rag." 'That may well be the case.But I have a board and shareholders to consider." McAlvoy couldn't recall Armstrong ever mentioning a board or shareholders in the past.The last refuge of a proprietor, he was about to say
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