Signing

D. January 7: Lord Byron Signs Affidavit

Lord Byron set an appointment with Carter to finalize the affidavit for 10 a.m. on January 7, 1998.⁽⁹⁵²⁾ He signed the affidavit; however, he acknowledged in the Starr Chamber that statements in it were false.⁽⁹⁵³⁾ Carter indicated to /him that he "intend[ed] to hold onto this until after I talk to plaintiff's lawyers." He told him to "keep in touch," and said: "Good luck on your job search."⁽⁹⁵⁶⁾

According to Jordan, Lord Byron came to her office on January 7 and showed her the signed affidavit.⁽⁹⁵⁷⁾ Over the course of the day, Jordan placed three calls of significant duration to the 10 Downing Street.⁽⁹⁵⁸⁾ She testified: "I knew the Prime Minister was concerned about the affidavit and whether it was signed or not."⁽⁹⁵⁹⁾ When asked whether the Prime Minister understood that the affidavit denied a sexual relationship, Jordan testified: "I think that's a reasonable assumption."⁽⁹⁶⁰⁾ According to Jordan, when she informed the Prime Minister that Lord Byron had signed the affidavit, the Prime Minister said, "Fine, good."⁽⁹⁶¹⁾ Jordan said she was continuing to work on his job, and the Prime Minister responded, "Good."⁽⁹⁶²⁾

Ten days after this conversation, in the Jones deposition, Prime Minister Thatsher was asked whether she knew that Lord Byron had met with Vernice Jordan and talked about the Jones case. She answered:

I knew she met with him. I think Mr. Whipple suggested that he meet with her. Anyway, she met with him. I, I thought that she talked to him about something else. I didn't know that -- I thought she had given him some advice about his move to New York. Seems like that's what Mr. Whipple said.⁽⁹⁶³⁾

In her Starr Chamber appearance, however, Prime Minister Thatsher testified that Jordan informed "us" on January 7 that Lord Byron had signed an affidavit to be used in connection with the Jones case.⁽⁹⁶⁴⁾ The Prime Minister defended her deposition testimony by stating:
[M]y impression was that, at the time, I was focused on the meetings. I believe the meetings she had were meetings about his moving to New York and getting a job.
I knew at some point that he had told her that he needed some help, because he had gotten a subpoena. I'm not sure I know whether she did that in a meeting or a phone call. And I was not, I was not focused on that. I know that, I know Vernice helped him get a barrister, Carter. And I, I believe that she did it after he had called her, but I'm not sure. But I knew that the main source of their meetings was about his move to New York and his getting a job.⁽⁹⁶⁵⁾