▁counter - me asures ▁Thor pe ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁l ively ▁and ▁w itt y ▁perform er ▁in ▁the ▁cut ▁and ▁thrust ▁of ▁parliament ary ▁deb ates , ▁and ▁his ▁presence ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁was ▁soon ▁noticed . ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 6 2 , ▁in ▁the ▁w ake ▁of ▁some ▁dis astr ous ▁Conserv ative ▁by - e lection ▁performances , ▁Mac mill an ▁s ack ed ▁seven ▁cabinet ▁minister s ▁in ▁what ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" N ight ▁of ▁the ▁Long ▁Kn ives ". ▁Thor pe ' s ▁comment — " Gre ater ▁love ▁hath ▁no ▁man ▁than ▁this , ▁that ▁he ▁lay ▁down ▁his ▁friends ▁for ▁his ▁life " — was ▁widely ▁regarded ▁in ▁the ▁press ▁as ▁the ▁most ▁apt ▁ver dict ▁on ▁the ▁prime ▁minister . ▁Thor pe ▁raised ▁his ▁political ▁profile ▁with ▁effective ▁attacks ▁on ▁government ▁b ureau c racy , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁October ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁general ▁election ▁was ▁returned ▁in ▁North ▁Dev on ▁with ▁an ▁increased ▁majority . ▁A ▁year ▁later ▁he ▁secured ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁tre as urer , ▁a ▁significant ▁step ▁towards ▁his ▁amb ition ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁next ▁party ▁leader . ▁ ▁By ▁early ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁Jos iffe ▁was ▁in ▁Dublin , ▁where ▁he ▁worked ▁at ▁various ▁horse - related ▁jobs ▁while ▁continu ing ▁to ▁bad ger ▁Thor pe ▁by ▁letter ▁about ▁his ▁missing ▁lug g age ▁and ▁the ▁continu ing ▁National ▁In sur ance ▁card ▁issue . ▁However ,