Speeches, etc.

Margaret Thatcher

Letter to Finchley Liberal candidate (immigration)

Document type: Speeches, interviews, etc.
Venue: Unknown
Source: Finchley Times, 9 February 1978
Journalist: Dennis Signy, Finchley Times
Editorial comments: Item listed by date of publication.
Importance ranking: Minor
Word count: 544
Themes: General Elections, Race, immigration, nationality

Immigration: Mrs T. makes views clear

Discussion of a possible curtailment of immigration is not racialism, but realism, said Opposition leader Mrs Margaret Thatcher this week.

The MP for Finchley and Friern Barnet, who tells me she expects her General Election date with Prime Minister Jim Callaghan to be in October, makes the point in a letter to her prospective Liberal opponent, Tony Paterson.

He sent an open letter to Mrs Thatcher a fortnight ago (If you were black, Mrs T, reported in this newspaper last week) accusing her of doing little to stop rumours about the Conservatives possibly ending immigration.

Mr Paterson referred to Mrs Thatcher's recent statement to this paper that there has been no change in Tory policy on immigration since deputy leader Willie Whitelaw laid it down at the party conference.

He called on the Opposition leader to prove her party's goodwill by giving her support to the Barnet Community Relations Council request to Barnet Council last month for a borough community relations officer.

Mrs Thatcher, who repeats her condemnation of the racist policies of the National Front, argues that a continuing flow of large numbers of immigrants will have a bad effect on racial harmony.

Tolerant

The full text of her letter is:

“Politicians are not responsible for headlines in newspapers, but only for what we say either in interviews or speeches, or on the floor of the House. You will doubtless have seen reports of recent comments I have made, and perhaps it would be as well if I made a number of points absolutely clear.

“Firstly, my great interest is that all our people here should be treated equally and fairly regardless of their colour or background. I thought this was put well in the Daily Mail of January 31, with a quote by Sikh leader Dr Niran Jan Mangat:

‘Mrs Thatcher has shown herself to be a very realistic woman. Her message is clear. Those immigrants who are here must be fairly treated. And for the benefit of race relations in the country the number of incoming immigrants must be drastically curtailed.’

“I want to see the best possible relations between the different races in our community. I believe that a continuing flow of large numbers of immigrants will have a bad effect on racial harmony, and I believe therefore that the numbers must be severely curtailed. We are a fair and tolerant people, and I want this to go on. To discuss the problem is not racialism, but realism.

“I utterly condemn the National Front for its policies on race and will have nothing whatsoever to do with its activities.

“For your information, quite a lot of the people who come to my constituency interview evenings are themselves immigrants. All my constituents have equal access to come and see me as the local Member of Parliament; all cases are dealt with in exactly the same way. They all have the same access to the Chief Executive of Barnet, the housing department and the social services department. This is quite right—there must be no distinction.

“Whether there is a Community Relations Officer for the borough must really be a matter for our own elected representatives on the council to decide. They have to consider how best to spend the limited amount of ratepayers and taxpayers' money.”