Speech in Finchley

Document type:	Speeches, interviews, etc.
Venue:	St Mary’s Hall, Hendon Lane, Hendon
Source:	Finchley Press, 22 February 1974
Editorial comments:	2000. MT faced some difficulties at this meeting: a group of militant teachers "attempted to shout her down .... (b)ut her political charisma and the experience of the last 15 years kept her in control of the situation" (Barnet Press, 23 February 1974).
Importance ranking:	Minor
Word count:	303
Themes:	Autobiographical comments, Education, General Elections

Minister trades facts with hecklers

A Group of militant teachers heckled Education Minister Mrs. Margaret Thatcher while she was talking at an election meeting in Church End Finchley on Monday evening.

The group were angry over the shortage of teachers in London and the low pay scales. Their protests came at the start of the meeting and during question time after Mrs. Thatcher's speech in St. Mary's Hall, Hendon Lane.

“You may be able to quote statistics about the number of teachers but you cannot deny that a great number of schools in London are under-staffed,” shouted one comprehensive school teacher.

“I know you are short in specialist spheres,” answered Finchley and Friern Barnet MP Mrs. Thatcher, “but the Inner London Education Authority have 19,000 teachers, about 200 short of their allocated number.

“And they have one of the most favourable teacher-pupil ratios,” she stressed.

“I cannot interfere in the works of ILEA but I can see they have a good quota. The number of teachers has not improved this year because of the raising of the school leaving age,” Mrs. Thatcher added.

Mrs. Thatcher then told the hecklers: “Next year some 40,000 teachers will be out of training colleges, 20,000 teachers will retire, and there will be a net increase of 20,000.

“There are 80,000 more teachers than four years ago and a lot more teachers in London than four, three or even two years ago,” she added.

In reply to angry comments about an increase in the London Weighting Allowance Mrs. Thatcher said: “The question of extra money has been referred to the Pay Board and you will be having a report.”

Mrs. Thatcher was asked what experience she had had at teaching. “I taught mathematics and science during university vacations in old central schools,” was her reply.