Like all chief whips, Michael Cocks was an inveterate cynic and fixer.
In opposition in the early 1980s, Harry Cohen, then an idealistic young MP, had set his heart on speaking in the house even though the whips of all parties had agreed to an early termination of the debate.
Cohen spent weeks preparing a speech but on the day Cocks went and sat beside Harry:
“You’re not speaking Harry.”
“But I’ve got to speak. It’s a terrible bill.”
“Of course it’s a terrible bill, Harry. It’s a Tory bill but you’re still not speaking. They’ll be more terrible bills along soon enough”