We must win in Leicester, says Thatcher

Sew at Home—The Tory Party Leader

Conservative party leader, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher told jubilant supporters in Leicester today: “If we are to win on a national scale and win well, we have to win in this city.”

Not many prospective Prime Ministers would feel at home behind a sewing machine—but Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher proved today that having a woman in charge could have its advantages.

The Tory leader began her tour of Leicestershire by wooing voters in the city clothing firm Grahame Gardner Ltd., of Stamford Street.

And within minutes of visiting the factory Mrs. Thatcher decided to join girls in the machine-room and learn the art of lockstitching.

After a few words of explanation from machinist Mrs. Pamela Lewis, she took over her place to make a very good job of a pocket in a blue hospital overall.

“Straight through and blue,” quipped Mrs. Thatcher as she fed the material to the needle.

Surprised

The down-to-earth approach won the party leader the admiration of many of the 150 staff at the factory, which manufacturers sportswear, school clothing and various uniforms.

Mrs. Lewis said: “She certainly knew how to use a machine. She was quite at home.”

The party leader also had a go at overlocking, a trouser when she took over from Mrs. Sheila Hutchinson.

“I was very surprised and impressed,” said Mrs. Hutchinson.

And she had a special bit of advice to Tory canvassers: “Go out and make contact with the many traditional Labour supporters who are now disillusioned.”

Mrs. Thatcher told a crowded Edward Wood Hall in London Road: “Many people joined the Labour Party to get a really different kind of country from the one they have seen develop under Labour.

“They are thoroughly disillusioned. They will join us, but we have to make personal contract.”

‘Stimulate’

Mrs. Thatcher said there were very god reasons why the Conservatives should win in Leicester. It was a great centre of industry and commerce and would benefit greatly from Tory policies.

Labour offered little to get industry moving again, whereas the Conservatives would make personal effort worthwhile. They would stimulate people to give their best for the benefit of their families, rather than for the benefit of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Mrs. Thatcher said that on her round-the-country campaign she was having to counter a considerable number of Labour smears against the Tories.

She spelled out a five-point Conservative programme to help senior citizens who had done so much for the prestige the country used to enjoy.

• Pensions would keep their real purchasing power.

• The Conservatives would honour the pension increases due in November.

• They would abolish the earnings rule.

• A new Conservative Government would continue paying the Christmas pension bonus which had been introduced by the Tories in the first place.

• War widows pensions would be exempt from income tax.

She told supporters: “Take that message to our senior citizens and tell them of the Conservatives' plans for them.” [end p1]

Hill

Meanwhile, in Leicester, the Tory leader, Mrs. Thatcher, was rousing the faithful in an address to party workers. She reacted strongly to the suggestion that no one in the Shadow Cabinet had experience of the four major offices of state, but the Labour Cabinet's experience wasn't the sort of experience she wanted. [end p2]

Thatcher

I don't really want to have experience of how to double prices in five years. I don't want to have experience of how to double unemployment in five years or how to double income tax on the average family in five years. That's their sort of experience and not the sort of experience that Britain wants in the next five years.