A word of praise from Maggie …
There was praise yesterday from Tory leader Mrs Margaret Thatcher for the work of Liverpool's trouble-hit Southern Neighbourhood Council in helping to combat vandalism.
At the end of a busy, 24-hour visit to the city Mrs Thatcher, in powder blue and white costume, visited the SNC's dockland head-quarters in Caryl Gardens, and ended up extending her visit by half an hour.
Before she left Mrs Thatcher said: “The Neighbourhood Council are doing a wonderful job in training children for new jobs.”
The visit to Caryl Gardens, under overcast skies, was greeted by a half-hearted demonstration. Labour MP for Liverpool Scotland/Exchange Mr Bob Parry took to a loudspeaker, along with Labour Councillor Hugh Carr, chairman of Merseyside County Council's Highways Committee. They were largely ignored.
A Tory official was nipped on the nose by a dog in one of the flats, but the mood was generally friendly.
The Thatcher visit began at Liverpool Football Ground. Anfield, where she received a gold necklace with a Liver bird on the pendant from the club chairman Mr John Smith.
At Evans Medical in Speke, they showed her boxes of tablets and bottles of liquid paraffin. And they spoke of recent record-breaking orders for drugs for Tripoli and Iraq.
After a swift visit to Liverpool Town Hall and the Lord Mayor, Councillor Raymond Craine, Mrs Thatcher went on a short walk-about in Church Street.
Last night Mrs Thatcher and her husband were at the North West Industrialists Council Ball near Manchester.