Speeches, etc.

Margaret Thatcher

Remarks visiting Marine barracks at Deal (IRA bomb)

Document type: Speeches, interviews, etc.
Venue: Cavalry Gates South, Royal Marines School of Music, Deal, Kent
Source: Thatcher Archive: COI transcript
Editorial comments: 1220-1230. BBC Radio News Report 1300 25 September 1989 carried an additional remark: "We had this terrible event because of common murderers, common murderers, absolute monsters. And our whole effort must now be to track them down and I hope no-one will ever give them a safe haven." There is further material in the East Kent Mercury, 28 September 1989: "Speaking briefly about the threat to move the Marines’ School of Music, she said: "I am enormously impressed with the relationship between the community and the Royal Marines." Any move would "tear the heart out of Deal," she added."
Importance ranking: Minor
Word count: 239

Presenter

At Dover and then at Canterbury Hospitals, Mrs. Thatcher saw some of the other eight bandsmen and musicians injured in Friday's bombing. Many of them were most anxious, she said, that their hands had not been damaged so badly that they could not play their musical instruments again. Then she spoke of how she had felt when visiting the damage wrought by Friday morning's bombing:

Prime Minister

The reaction when I went to the site this morning is horrific. We lost ten remarkable musicians, not fighting men; we lost ten just because some people tried to bomb others out of their democratic views. The bombers do not like what people choose to do when they have the vote, so they try to bomb them out.

Presenter

Back at Deal, she was asked whether the future of private security firms at military establishments would be reviewed. [end p1]

Prime Minister

Look! Everything will be reviewed, of course it will, but do not let that deflect you from whose fault it was. It was the fault of the monsters who did common murder. That is whose fault it was and no-one—but no-one—who is against violence or murder should harbour them, give them safe haven—they should come forward and give any information they have.

Presenter

Finally, Mrs. Thatcher paused at the huge number of floral tributes which have now been left at the gates to the Marine Barracks.