Tory chief whirls through the North

It was high-speed Margaret Thatcher yesterday as the Conservative leader made a whirlwind tour of the North by helicopter.

Her day started in York where she first made a two-hour visit to the factory of Joseph Terry and Sons Ltd., the confectionery manufacturers.

She was accompanied by Mr. Iain Johnston, Terry's managing director, Dr. David Tod, prospective Conservative candidate for York, and Mr. Douglas Craig, chairman of York Conservative Association.

In the chocolate Neapolitan room, she selected one with a cafe-au-lait flavour, explaining that it was “one of my favourites.”

As she left the factory, Mrs. Thatcher was presented with a 31b casket of chocolate assortments, appropriately wrapped in blue silk.

After her visit, she called for an atmosphere “free from duress on either side” for the start of the Grunwick court of inquiry.

She later visited the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress at York's mansion House.

Then she flew 50 miles up to Teesside in poor weather and visibility but was only 10 minutes late touching down at Haverton Hill, near Middlesbrough.

There it was all systems go with Mrs. Thatcher walking so quickly that her hosts at an engineering works occasionally had difficulty in keeping up. But she did find time to talk to one worker with “super Mac” on his safety helmet.

After touring the works, Mrs. Thatcher went on by helicopter again to nearby Thornaby, Cleveland, for lunch.

She gave a warning that the Conservatives could not denationalise shipbuilding immediately if returned to power.

Mrs. Thatcher was speaking on the “birth” of British Shipbuilders, the nationalised body, after a fierce political battle.