MT
What I am saying is that the Common Market increase in food prices has been a minute proportion compared with Labour's increase in food prices and the proportion according to Mr. Silkin 's reply in the House is the, of the increase in food prices, a 100%; has been under the Labour Government and only 10%; attributable to the Common Market. I am saying that I pledge that I will never have such a bad record on increasing food prices as this Labour Government has.
Extract ends.MT
How do I feel about being on the brink of it? Well a sense of very great responsibility, not only for the future of Britain but a great deal I think on the future of women at the top will depend on how I do, and there aren't very many women are at the top of newspapers either, are there? [general laughter] Ah, I don't know of any women editors of general papers. So a very great sense of, of awareness of the responsibilities that rest upon me. Obviously the one that concerns me first and foremost is the future of Britain and I just can't bear the thought that Britain will go on declining as she has done in the last five years relative to other countries, but also I do know that the whole future I think—well, I could do an awful lot for women at the top, and for women trying to get to the top, and for the acceptance of women for their talents and abilities. But I must point out that women like me and possibly women like me got where we are now long before there was a Women's Lib movement.
Julie Davidson, Scotsman
That's very true but can I ask you if in fact you accept the principle that women do have right to choose to work and that you know the state should make provision for …
MT
Oh yes, I accepted that long before anyone put that sort of question to me. [Laughter] I mean it's … in the sort of bloodstream. I mean really my generation really had quite a lot of opportunities you know. I wouldn't be sitting here if I hadn't. I didn't get them by being some strident female.
Julie Davidson, Scotsman
Does that suggest you disapprove of being a strident female? [end p1]
MT
[MT speaking slowly for comic effect] I don't like strident females. [Laughter on the platform beside MT.] I like people who have ability, who don't run the feminist ticket too hard, after all I reckon if you get anywhere it's because of your ability as a person. It's not because of your sex. [Pause] You look expectant?
Julie Davidson, Scotsman
Well I, perhaps … [general laughter]
Male Journalist
[words inaudible] …the privilege of Women's Lib … [general laughter]
Julie Davidson, Scotsman
All right, that's kind of a male reaction …
MT
I mean I am what I am, it's the whole personality. I mean, all right, I happen to be a women, I, I've no sort of experience of the alternative. [Laughter.]
Julie Davidson, Scotsman
Well can I simply ask you, if you'd like for me to go on, since you invited me to go on with my statement. Em, if you, ah, accept that an awful lot of women are … don't appear very cheerful perhaps, or perhaps, em, a lot of women are underprivileged [MT tries to interrupt] as a section of … of society.
MT
Look, look I do believe passionately that many women take the view, and quite rightly, that when their children are young their first duty is to look after the children and keep the family together. I wasn't a Member of Parliament until after my children were six. At least they went to school, you know I was there with them quite a lot during the early stages. Now, I mean, this is also a very important aspect of life. And I do say this to you very seriously indeed: it is every bit as worthy an objective and an ambition to stay at home and look after the family as it is to go out to work. And you must not in any way make young women feel guilty because they don't go out to work. I've come across this once or twice. Quite a number of our young university women coming out being made to feel guilty if they don't follow a career. That must not be. The essential thing is that they have the choice and they must make, and they must do what is best for them in their circumstances, in their family, er, and choose according to that. It's not for us to lay down how they should choose, and I will not have them criticized in any way for doing perhaps one of the most important jobs in the world, which is keeping family life together. Just because some of us reckon we've been able to do both doesn't in fact mean that we can impose those beliefs on everyone else. Now, my dear, the men are getting restive. Come along. [Laughter.]
Male Journalist
Actually I find it rather interesting, Mrs. Thatcher.
MT
Oh do you?
Male Journalist
You seem to be saying that perhaps the woman's place is in the home?
MT
No, no no, I'm saying that she has the choice and if she wishes to do that, then it is a very, very laudable and praiseworthy thing to do. There will be many, many women once their children are in that famous phrase ‘off-hand’ or, em, or have left school who will wish to go out and work and do part-time work, they'll be many, many others who [end p2] have qualifications who manage somehow to keep in touch during those years. I mean some of us did because if you're like me you have a science degree, you've got to keep in touch with the latest scientific developments if you wish to go back. And there many, many families that can make arrangements for the wives to keep in touch. But it's not for us to lay down what they should do. We're the party of choice. Er, free enterprise is choice, even the Daily Mirror and Daily Record are free enterprise and exercise their choice, isn't it as well we still have a free enterprise and free society with choice? Therefore, you should vote Conservative. [Laughter] [end p3]
(2) Conservative Party Archive: BBC TV Campaign Report (2310–40) 26 April 1979David Dimbleby
Mrs. Thatcher says that when the Labour Delegation arrives in Brussels, their's is the only aircraft which goes on whining after the engines have [end p4] been switched off.
Mrs. Thatcher
Once the nation had made the decision to join, we should boldly have accepted the consequences of our new role. Of course we must reform the Common Agricultural Policy, we've said so on many occasions, and I don't believe there are many in Europe who disagree with us. Of course we must make sure that Britain doesn't pay more than its fair share of the Community budget. It's one thing to fight one's corner by being doggedly British, we all do that. It's quite another to exasperate our EEC fellow members by sheer inadequacy.