MT
[speech extract] … But he's sure of the support of his own party. Because as you know, at the end of the two-day debate—the genuine debate on economic strategy—the Government did not get the support of the House of Commons. In fact it lost that vote by some twenty eight votes.
interview begins; opening question missingMT
Well, I think it is weaker. After the events of the last two days in the House of Commons I don't think things will ever be quite the same again. It will always now have to be looking to its left-wing to see whether its left-wing will allow the Government to do the things which it thinks it ought to do.
Peter Barsby, Anglia TV
Were you disappointed with the results of the vote of confidence last night?
MT
[pause; intake of breath] I rather thought they would win. Uh … but you know we won the argument, and we really won the battle. Because it is quite absurd to have two days on an economic debate, when we win, to have the same debate on a third day and to have people changing their vote. It means we won the real argument, but they just won the technical vote.
Peter Barsby, Anglia TV
Now, what about your reaction to the by-election results?
MT
Well, I was absolutely thrilled, and delighted for the candidates who fought a tremendous battle and got a tremendous victory. The organisation there was superb, and we got our message across and got it across well. So—I'm ready for another battle, any time.
Peter Barsby, Anglia TV
So will you be pressing for a General Election soon?
MT
We did call on the Government to resign this week. I doubt that they will immediately. But I think their days are numbered.
MT
speech extract
This week on Wednesday night he was repudiated by the House of Commons, sovereign parliamentary assembly that it is. On Thursday he was repudiated even more decisively [end p1] by the people of Carshalton and the Wirral. He's a sorry figure, [laughter] heading a disunited and discredited cabinet. His is a dying government, creating only uncertainty and confusion, living on borrowed time and borrowed money.
You can visualize the sort of demands our overseas creditors will place upon the Government in return for shoring up our economy. But what conditions have the left extorted as the price of their support? What further concessions to marxism has the Prime Minister made, so that his government may survive a little later? Are we going to witness a battle between our overseas creditors, demanding crisis action to safeguard their money, and the left trying to force the government down the spending road to ruin? It's a battle which we cannot afford. The Prime Minister must put the country first. He's heard what the electors of the Wirral and Carshalton have said. They've shouted with a mighty voice. He's failed them, as he's failed them, as he's failed the nation. He should go, and go now [applause]