Speeches, etc.

Margaret Thatcher

Speech at Keston

Document type: Speeches, interviews, etc.
Venue: Keston Park Hotel, Kent
Source: Kentish Times, 26 November 1965
Editorial comments: Time uncertain. Transcript of an article first published in Kentish Times.
Importance ranking: Major
Word count: 333
Themes: Commonwealth (Rhodesia-Zimbabwe), By-elections, General Elections, Monetary policy, Labour Party & socialism, Liberal & Social Democratic Parties, Leadership

By-Elections better than Opinion Polls

Woman M.P.

Conservatives should not be too discouraged by recent national opinion polls; they should be encouraged by recent by-election results, which were a much more telling indication of the popularity of the parties, Keston Tuesday Club were told this week.

The speaker was Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, M.P. for Finchley, opening their Christmas bazaar, at Keston Park Hotel on Tuesday. The event made an all-time record of £150.

Conservatives should note with pleasure that the Liberal cause was going “down and down and down,” for the party had “sold out to the Labour Party” and would shortly be doing nothing more than keeping them in power, she said. Any party that sold itself out to one of the big parties was “doomed very quickly to extinction.”

Of recent price and tax increases the public had had to bear during the year, she forecast that worse was to come, for while production had been stable since January, wages had risen by eight per cent. This would be reflected in prices.

Mr. Heath had been unfortunate in that the only live political issue since his appointment as leader had been Rhodesia, which did not lend itself to party political dissention. She felt sure that he would give vent to his “tremendous attacking power” as soon as a debate on the economy occurred.

She also felt certain that had Sir Alec Douglas-Home still been Prime Minister, the Rhodesian situation “would never have come to such a pass,” for the “forces of reason and moderation” would have prevailed.

Mrs. Thatcher, who lives in Farnborough, was introduced by the chairman, Mrs. A. M. Hawkins, and thanked by Mrs. R. Chivers.

Attractions at the bazaar included food and cake stall, bathroom goods, gifts, clothes, needlework and books.