The Conservative Party “utterly condemns” the National Front for their racialist activities.
And, said Opposition Leader Mrs Margaret Thatcher this week, she welcomed the positive contribution to the British economy made by people who have recently settled in this country.
Mrs Thatcher, MP for Finchley and Friern Barnet, made the remarks in a letter to her prospective Parliamentary Labour opponent. Mr Richard May.
Mr May, in an open letter to Mrs Thatcher published on the front page of the Finchley Times on November 25, accused the MP of having made “very little contribution to the fight against racialism.”
He referred to the by-election in Woodhouse Ward where a National Front candidate finished in third place behind the winning Tory and Labour and pushed the Liberal into fourth place.
Mr May referred to the “overtly racial campaign” of the National Front candidate in Woodhouse and said that this must have alarmed many Black and Brown people living in the constituency.
He challenged the Opposition Leader to condemn the racialist policies of the National Front and the National Party and to disown the “extreme comments” made by some Tory MPs in the debate in the House of Commons on July 5.
Mr May asked Mrs Thatcher to acknowledge the contribution Black and Brown people made to British society.
This is the full text of her reply.
“Thank you for your letter on the important subject of race relations in Finchley. Relations between all communities in the constituency have been on the whole extremely good, which says a lot for the good sense and generosity of everyone.
“We must be eternally vigilant that no hint of extremism, no hint of intolerance enters into our consideration of these sensitive issues. It is for this reason that the Conservative Party has consistently expressed its total condemnation of those who commit acts of racial violence, and of those who for their own ends exploit the issue of race in such a way that the likelihood of racial violence is increased. I repeat what I have said several times—we are very concerned about the National Front and utterly condemn them for their racial activities.
“All citizens settled in Britain must be, in the words of the motion passed at the 1976 Conservative Party Conference, ‘equal and welcome’ members of our nation.
“You refer in your letter to views expressed by Conservative back-benchers in the House of Commons on July 5. As always, a wide range of opinions was expressed by Members in all parties and it is to the advantage of free expression of opinion and of Parliamentary debate that this was so. But, as you must know, the Party view was expressed on that occasion by Mr Whitelaw. Deputy Leader of the Party and our Shadow Home Secretary, who formulated it after careful consultation with the Party.
“The Conservative Party's view—one which I believe is shared by the vast majority of people in all the communities in Britain—is that good race relations depend on pursuing sensible economic and social policies which minimise social friction, and on striking a balance between the obligations we have to members of minority communities already settled in Britain, and the widespread fears amongst a majority of the population that immigration is not sufficiently controlled.
“It must be of some concern to you that the Government is pursuing economic policies which have led to unprecedented levels of unemployment, especially amongst young people in the larger inner cities and in the minority communities. You must be aware of the serious effects of this situation on community relations.
“I was also disturbed to read reports of the proceedings of the Labour Party Conference at Blackpool this year, in which the Labour Party resolved by a large majority to repeal the 1968 and 1971 Immigration Acts. This would relax restrictions on immigration to this country. At a time of high unemployment such a policy could only be expected to generate fear amongst many people in Britain and would do nothing to foster good relations. I am not clear whether you support the policy advocated by the Labour Conference.
“If you believe that such a relaxation of controls would only take place against a new nationality law you will doubtless join the Conservatives in pressing the Government to bring forward their proposals which we still have not seen, even though the investigation into nationality laws was initiated by the last Conservative Government.
“Few would dispute that I have shown myself glad to welcome free enterprise, hard work and industry wherever we see it in Britain. I therefore welcome the positive contribution to our economy which has been made by people who have recently settled in this country.
“It is important now that everyone in Britain is given the chance to work together to restore prosperity to our economy and dignity to our nation.”