The Conservative leader, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, said this morning she was very pleased with the Ilford result. It was a handsome majority, she said—one of a whole series of gains they'd been making. And she pointed out it would have been even bigger but for Mr. Iremonger 's intervention. Our reporter, Ray Gowdridge, asked Mrs. Thatcher how large a part she thought the immigration issue had played in the election campaign and in the result: [end p1]
Thatcher
Not a tremendously significant part. I think what it has shown is that we are prepared to seek out and tackle difficult issues.
Gowdridge
Do you think the result would have been the same had there not been the debate which there's been in recent weeks on immigration policy?
Thatcher
Well, if you look at previous by-elections, the answer must be “yes” . Don't forget we won Workington, Walsall, Stetchford, Ashfield, Woolwich. Some of them with even bigger swings, and that was long before immigration happened to come up; before I was questioned about it, or before the Labour Party did that party political broadcast on the National Front. All of those other by-election victories were some of them even greater than this, and long before this was a particular issue.
Gowdridge
To what extent do you think last night's vote might influence the timing of a general election?
Thatcher
Oh, I fear it might have some considerable influence on it, with a very good result like this for us, the James CallaghanPrime Minister won't be anxious to go to the country, because he'll be a sure loser. Mind you, I think he'll be a certain loser whenever it happens, but I'm bound to say that I think the temptation will be for him to cling on.