This morning's session of the Conservative Party conference in Blackpool began to the musical strains of “Happy Birthday”. The reason—Mrs Thatcher was 58 today. She received a large cake with—of course—blue icing. The Prime Minister also appeared on a Radio Four schools' programme, “In the News”, and was asked what birthday wish she would seek, if she had a fairy godmother:
Thatcher
If I had ever had a fairy godmother, perhaps the children might learn something to this, I'd have said with … to her—please give me the gift to be able to speak nine or ten languages. It would have contributed so much if every politician I come across in other countries I could have talked to them in their language.
The Prime Minister also had this advice for young listeners, on how to learn the ways of the world:
Thatcher
Do read the papers and do listen to the news, I personally think the radio news is very good.
And on that mildly self-indulgent note, we turn once again to tonight's headlines.