Derby Day usually empties the House of Commons as Cabinet ministers, backbenchers, and the Opposition, uniformed in cutaways and grey toppers, flock to Epsom Downs. But last week, politics kept all but a handful of M.P.s from witnessing a spectacular seven-horse collision at the 182nd running of the Derby. In London, the Commons was jammed as the Tory government opened a two-day debate on the Common Market. In the constituencies of West Derbyshire and Middlesbrough West, the Tories were desperately trying to end their string of by-election defeats.
As it turned out. the Tories were running well if cautiously in...
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