 One faction who favoured a June election, but another group wanted to wait until October before going to the country, while some within the Party even advocated delaying the contest until 1984.Supporters of waiting to a later time to hold an election included Thatcher's deputy and Home Secretary Willie Whitelaw and John Biffen who was then serving as Leader of the House of Commons.However on 8 May senior Conservatives met at Chequers and agreed to go to the country on 9 June.