MP attacks ‘overmanned’ car industry

The State of this country's car industry was strongly criticised by Finchley MP and Opposition Leader Mrs. Margaret Thatcher on Monday evening.

Mrs. Thatcher was speaking at the 54th annual meeting of the Finchley and Friern Barnet Conservative and Unionist Association held in Church End Finchley.

British Leyland were singled out for criticism by the Tory leader at the meeting in St. Mary's Parish Hall in Hendon Lane. She said: “The trouble is that they have never been able to get enough production out on time, at a price people could afford and be prepared to pay.”

When the Government bailed out British Leyland she said the Conservative Party wanted an initial £50 million given, but no more until they could, give an agreement they could produce more per person.

Mrs. Thatcher said: “The irony of the car situation is that 40 out of every 100 cars sold in this country are imported.”

She thought this was because people could buy them when they wanted to, a cheaper product is provided and one that is regarded as better value. “They don't have so much over-manning, so one car worker can produce more cars.”

Mrs. Thatcher began her speech by saying the last three years had been the worst since the war. She described them as “dreadful.”

She spoke of 1974. “At that time we were having difficulties with production, we were on a three-day week. But when you look at how much is being produced in five days under Socialism you find it is no more than was being produced in 1974 with all the difficulties we encountered then.”

The Government were criticised for the high taxation level. She spoke of governments in Europe or the United States. “They know that if they leave more in the pay packets for employees to spend they would be better placed than if they were to take it away. Their level of production has increased more than ours, particularly in the last year.”

Mrs. Thatcher said that the Labour Government had doubled public expenditure and doubled public unemployment. She spoke of their “destructive criticism in the House of Commons” and cited pay policies as an example.

She said: “We would never come out and try to break a pay policy just for the sake of party politics.”

“Other countries have about 40 per cent. more small businesses than we do. They have got tremendously big industries coming along. Our Government so clobbered some of the smaller businesses and self-employed people that a number of them have had to go out of business.”

She accused the Government of distributing the profits and wealth previously gained from a capitalist system. She said: “This country is in trouble because Socialism has failed.”

Earlier, association chairman Cr. Jimmy Sapsted had said: “Considerable progress in Finchley and in the country has been made by the Conservative Party and this has been due in no small measure to our Member of Parliament and the leader of the Conservative Party, Margaret Thatcher.”

He spoke of Cr. Phil Williams ' success in the Woodhouse by-election held at the end of last year in which the Conservatives had an 11 per cent. swing. After canvassing on Saturday they found an even further swing to their party.

After her speech, Mrs. Thatcher answered questions on the subjects of home rule, select committees decentralisation, unions, the rent law and Idi Amin.

She was asked whether she thought Amin should leave Uganda for the Commonwealth' Conference or the Queen's jubilee celebrations. She said: “I am aware of what has happened to some presidents who have left their states and travelled about. A certain Idi Aminperson might think it advisable to stay at home.

“I would be critical of anything that would bring him to this country as it would be deeply offensive to many of us.”

The meeting ended with a rallying call by Finchley's Greater London Council member Roland Freeman who attempted to drum up support for the coming GLC elections.

Officers re-elected were: Chairman, Cr. N. J. Sapsted; deputy chairman, R. J. Thurlow; vice-chairman, Cr. J. C. Tiplady, Cr. P. H. Williams; president, Henry M. Oppenheim; treasurer, G. J. Phillips; secretary and agent, R. E. Langstone; vice-presidents, A. N. H. Baines, Mrs. Ena Constable, A. C. D. Miller, D. Thatcher; auditor, J. Jackson.