Voice Over
Welcome to the International Prosperity Race run over five years. Look at these two fine runners, Brown and Wood, representing Great Britain, full of talent and enthusiasm and raring to go. And they're off. Brown pulling ahead, oh what a joy it is to see this boy go, Wood isn't far behind, they are leading the field. A fine start for this British pair. Hello, what's going on here? Ah, the British Labour Party managing this year's team, have decided it isn't fair on Wood if Brown leads, so they're actually going to handicap Brown with a large weight to give Wood a chance to catch up. What a weight - record taxation.
Voice Over
Since Labour came to power in 1974, the British working man has been weighed down by more and more tax. More direct taxes, like income tax. In fact more tax on almost everything you earn and much of what you buy.
Another voice
More?
Voice Over
Fact. No other major industrial country in the world extracts a higher rate of income tax from both its high and low paid citizens than the present Labour government.
Voice Over
But still he's gamely carrying on but now Great Britain's other chance is coming up on the inside. And what a runner this boy is, he's getting into his stride, he can't fail. Ah, hello, here's the British Labour managers coming on once more. Now they are trying to stop Woods getting ahead. Can't they leave our boys alone? They produced higher unemployment. Now what a weight this is round the neck of the British man.
Barney Hayhoe
People say that the Labour Party is the working man's party but that's nonsense. Their policies of high taxation actually discourage people from working, sometimes stop them altogether, so they end up on the dole queue.
Voice Over
What a burden, but still they are fighting on. Brown is getting his second wind, they are neck and neck, but the British effort is definitely slowing down under the weight of the Labour Government. It can't be long now before the French and Germans catch up, not to mention the Japanese, who are coming past on the outside lane. Our boys are really going to have to watch out for these foreign competitors. Hello, with the British Labour managers they are coming on again. Yes, they are not going to have to … . No, no, no they've got two more weights to hold down the British team. Record inflation. This could be serious. [end p1]
Voice Over
Fact. Since Labour came to power, we've had the worst peace-time inflation since the Great Plague over 300 years ago.
Voice Over
Britain is looking pretty sick now I must say. France and Germany are now way ahead and that little dot on the horizon is the Japanese team. The British team is faring badly, very badly indeed. We are giving this one away.
Voice Over
Why have we fallen so far behind? High taxation and high unemployment mean we make less goods than the Germans, the French and the Japanese, so we make less profits than the Germans, the French and the Japanese, so invest less in new machinery than the Germans, the French and the Japanese. So the products we make on our old machinery cost more than the Germans, French and Japanese. So not only do we export less than the Germans, the French and the Japanese but we buy more products from—you've guessed it—the Germans, the French and the Japanese. So we have less work which means a dole queue that would stretch from London to Inverness and money that buys less than French money, German money and Japanese money. Poor Britain. Unless something is done it will be poorer and poorer Britain.
Voice Over
Why don't the Labour managers do something about it? Ah but here they come but they are weighed down by Labour's philosophy. What are they going to do to help encourage the British lads?
And the leader is the old favourite, rigid control. This really is bringing Britain down. With managers like these, who needs opponents?
Voice Over
In the last few years, people in this country have had to put up with constant government controls. Instead of being able to press ahead at their own pace, the British people have had the Labour government interfering and holding them back and because British production under Labour has been low, British wages under Labour have had to be low. Low production means low wages. Because Labour can't get production moving they have had to be more concerned with restricting wages rather than increasing them.
Voice Over
Brown and Wood are almost collapsing under the weight of Labour's interference. There doesn't seem to be any incentive to go any faster even if they could. As soon as one of them gets ahead he's being pulled back … it's slowing the whole thing down. Oh no, no, Brown can't take any more … (All talking together) The Labour Party has turned the British Prosperity Race into an obstacle course. And hello what's happening here. It's the crowd, the crowd, they are calling for change of management. But no, they're not going. They are hanging on. Oh surely they've got to go. But who is going to take over? [end p2]
Voice Over
The real question at the next Election is which Party will the British people choose to help get Britain moving and production growing? Well, if they base their decision on the record, they'll choose the Conservatives. Fact. Since the War with Conservative governments, production has increased by twice as much as under Labour.
Voice Over
And Labour managers have quietly been sent in for an early bath. It's the Conservative managers coming on, they are heading straight for Brown and Wood and yes they are taking off the weight of taxation.
Voice Over
Which party will the British people choose to cut their income tax? Well, if they base their decision on the record they'll choose the Conservatives. Fact. In the last 30 years every Labour government has increased income tax. Every Conservative government has cut income tax.
Voice Over
Our boys are now better on their feet and really making up for lost time. Now they are taking off another weight. They are giving them some incentive. Oh, this is most encouraging.
Voice Over
Which party will the British people choose to give us back our incentive to work and increase real take-home pay? Well, if they base their decision on the record, they'll choose the Conservatives. Fact. Since the War with the Conservatives the average industrial worker's real take-home pay has gone up nearly four-and-a-half times more than under Labour.
Michael Heseltine
If you want to earn more, Labour don't seem to want you to. So they tax you so that it isn't worth your while. Labour will never give you the incentives, but we will.
Voice Over
Brown and Wood are really producing results now. They are coming up fast and their chances are getting better. Without the dead weight of Labour government interferences, they can start to shrug off unemployment.
Voice Over
Which party will the British people choose to tackle the unemployment problem? Well, if they base their decision on the record, it'll be the Conservatives. Fact. Twice since the War nearly a million new jobs have been created with the Conservatives, something that has never happened during a Labour period of Government.
Voice Over
Great Britain is now really back in the picture, they are getting better all the time. And look now they are throwing off another Labour burden. Nothing can stop them now. [end p3]
Voice Over
Which party will the British people choose to help solve the inflation problem? Well, if they base their decision on the record it'll be the Conservatives. Fact. Since the War there has been twice as much inflation under Labour.
Voice Over
This really is a joy to watch. We are making up for the last five years. These boys are really moving. I must say it brings a lump to your throat.
Voice Over
The Conservatives always encourage success, ambition and reward. We have done it before. We'll do it again. How? It's not the impossible dream that it seems under Labour. We will give people back their ambitions and drive. Make it possible for people to earn more so that they can buy more. So we can produce more. So we can make more profit. So we can invest in more machinery. So our goods cost less. So we export more. So we have more work. So we can buy more. The Conservatives believe that by freeing the people of too much taxation and too much Government interference we will encourage everyone to make a better life for themselves and their families and that means a better country.
Voice Over
Nothing can stop them now. This must be a British record. We are really giving the foreigners a run for their money. Oh, what a difference this new government is making.
Rt. Hon. Margaret Thatcher
We've always had a sense of humour and Heaven knows we've needed it lately. But we've other characteristics too. A gift for invention, for initiative and for hard work. Under Labour, these talents are going to waste because the Government takes too much away in tax. How often do you hear people say look how much they've taken from my pay packet? So naturally they ask for bigger pay rises to make up the difference. And it's not long before that pushes up prices. Ask any housewife, she'll tell you. This Government has increased prices more and faster than any other government since records were kept. The only way to keep prices down is to get production up. And you don't do that by weighing people down with taxes and other restrictions. They don't work for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, they work for their families. So we've got to cut the tax on earnings and the tax on skill. Give our people incentives and once again Britain will be back in the race.
Voice
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