Speeches, etc.

Margaret Thatcher

Letter to James Callaghan MP (refusing recall of Parliament to discuss unemployment)

Document type: Speeches, interviews, etc.
Venue: No.10 Downing Street
Source: Thatcher Archive
Editorial comments:
Importance ranking: Major
Word count: 257
Themes: Parliament, Employment

Dear James CallaghanJim,

Thank you for your letter today in which you asked for the recall of Parliament on 23 September so that Ministers can announce in the House the unemployment figures which will be released by the Department of Employment that day. I have considered your request very carefully and have discussed it with some of my principal colleagues.

There is no dispute between us that the unemployment figures are a matter of very serious concern. However, the House debated the unemployment situation as recently as 14 July and again on 29 July in the Censure Debate. At that time it was already clear from the pattern of figures that unemployment was increasing and Ministers warned that it would rise further.

You may recall that in the summer of 1975 when the trend in unemployment was also going up rapidly—the total rose 16 per cent between July and August—you did not think it necessary to recall Parliament to enable a statement to be made to the House about the figures.

We do not yet know what the total will be in September. We must expect, however, that it will be high and that it will continue to be so until we win the battle against inflation. As you yourself have recognised many times in the past, the conquest of inflation is bound to take time and must be our first priority, since our future prosperity and the provision of real jobs depends on it. [end p1] We do not believe that there are any new factors which would justify the recall of Parliament.

Yours sincerely

Margaret Thatcher