Mr Witts, pictured left, a Parliamentary correspondent from 1972 to 1976, met Wilson many times and his recollections form the basis of an extensive article posted on the BBC website in which he reveals, among other things, that Wilson’s famous pipe smoking was something of a charade—in private, the PM preferred cigars.

For the full article:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/21432269