Speeches, etc.

Margaret Thatcher

Remarks on capital punishment ("I have always voted for it")

Document type: Speeches, interviews, etc.
Venue: Nottingham Police Academy, Epperstone, Nottinghamshire
Source: (1) BBC Radio News Report 1300 20 July 1979 (2) Daily Telegraph, 21 July 1979
Journalist: (1) John Barsby, BBC, reporting (2) Amit Roy, Daily Telegraph, reporting
Editorial comments: Available on CD-ROM only. Around 0945. The Daily Mirror (21 July 1979) has other material. MT said that there was a "genuine difference" between the public and MPs over capital punishment and said the matter had to be left to individual MPs. "I don’t think there will ever be a referendum. In any case a referendum is only advisory - it would have to come back to the House of Commons".The The Sun, also 21 July 1979, has MT defending the free vote: "We [i.e., MPs] have to exercise our judgment". The Guardian, 21 July 1979: "I believe very strongly that the death penalty would be a deterrent to certain types of murderers, and I think it would help the police in carrying out their duties. That is why I have always voted for it. Those who are prepared to pass sentence of death on others simply by taking their life should themselves be liable to have sentence of death passed on them by a court". Transcript of an in
Importance ranking: Minor
Word count: 1169
Themes: Law & order, Religion & morality