Paul
Have you guessed? Well, what if I told you the house was in Downing Street? Of course, welcome once more to the Prime Minister, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, and a group of CBTV reporters with a truly international flavour because they come from all over the world, Australia, Canada, Cyprus, the Falklands, Grenada, India, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Jamaica and England, and they all have questions that they've prepared and that they want to ask. We'll kick off with the host nation, Great Britain, and Finn from Camden Town in London.
Finn
Mrs. Thatcher, did you see the film last week, The Day After?
P.M
Yes, I did. I made a point of watching it.
Finn
Um … after watching this film I feel that I won't have a future, do you?
P.M
No, indeed I think you have more of a future than we did. When I was about the age of the group of young people we have here we were on the brink of a second world war. I was 14 when it broke out. It was only 21 years since the previous great war and we were into a second one because nations weren't strong enough to stop …
Finn
Yes, but …
P.M
… the great tyrant of that time from attacking us. [end p1]
Finn
… with nuclear weapons we are threatening each other and sooner or later there's going to be a mistake made in an argument and someone's going to launch nuclear weapons.
P.M
No, I disagree with you. I think they're so horrific that they are in fact more likely to keep the peace in Europe than ever before …
Finn
If they're so horrific, why do we have them?
P.M
Because, you know, sometimes, Finn, you do get some things which are so terrible that both sides know they could not use them because the catastrophe would be so great. And so, Finn, we have enjoyed 38 years of peace since the last war; all that time we've had nuclear weapons. Nearly all that time. When I was your age we were on the brink of the worst war the world has ever known, and it was terrible. I hope that we shall always have peace. That is our objective. We stay strong and nuclear weapons have, in fact, kept the peace—not only nuclear peace but conventional peace as well.
Paul
Okay, Sasha. Can we move on please.
Sasha
Mrs. Thatcher, Indira Gandhi is the Indian head of state, do you find you get along better with women? [end p2]
P.M
I happen to get on very well with Mrs. Gandhi. We both understand the problems that each other has, although, of course, she has such a big country to govern, which is an enormous difficulty in itself, but we get on together very well indeed, and we find it very easy to talk about one another's problems and world problems.
Sasha
Okay, thank you.
Boy
Prime Minister, after the Falklands … um … hearing your goodwill message to the new Argentine president, I was worried about whether you (NOT CLEAR) prepared to talk about the sovereignty of the Islands.
P.M
No. I am not prepared to talk about the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. Those islands are British, the people on them are British and they have a right to decide under which government they wish to live. No, it is good news that there is now democracy in the Argentine, we can be pleased about that, it gives more hope for the people in the Argentine, more hope that they might have freedom and justice there, but I am not—repeat, not—negotiating about the sovereignty or the future of the people on the Falkland Islands.
Boy
Thank you.
Boy
Prime Minister, I come from Cyprus which has been a divided community ever since the Turks took over the top half 9 years ago. Why hasn't Britain done more to help? [end p3]
P.M
It has been a divided community for a very long time. We had hoped that when we left an independent constitution and a single Cyprus consisting of both Greek and Turks that we'd left them a good constitution with specific places for both Greeks and Turks in the government and in the Parliament and so on. You can't just package peace and say, look, here's a packet, here's peace, I'm sending it to you for Christmas. It's got to come from within a community, from people getting on together, from people being willing to talk to one another, being willing to have a form of government in which both agree. It has indeed been a tragedy. But, of course, you will remember that that government was toppled, not by the Turks but it was toppled by the Greeks. That was the tragedy, it was toppled by the Greeks and then the Turks went in. And so all the guarantor powers of Britain, Greece and Turkey were not, therefore, able to get together. The government of Cyprus was toppled by the Greeks and the Turks went in, and we were not able, I'm afraid, to restore a single state of Cyprus.
Girl
Prime Minister … sorry. Do you consult to your husband on any political problems?
P.M
I often ask him about his views because it's very good to get the views of someone who's not as close to things as you are, who doesn't know all of the details and you want really to know the impression they've got. I know exactly what is happening, I know most of the details and they perhaps might have a different view. I want to know what facts and what impressions are coming over, either from the way the news is presented or what's written about it, and therefore we do often talk about it. [end p4]
Girl
Mrs. Thatcher, talking about your husband, did you see Anyone For Denis? The play.
P.M
Yes we did, we went to see it because they very kindly put it on—on a Sunday evening for charity, and we said if they'd put it on and give their services free we'd go, and we made a lot of money for charity.
Girl
Do you …
P.M
Then they came here afterwards, the cast.
Girl
Do you think it related to your husband?
P.M
Not at all. Not at all. But there you are. You expect to have caricatures drawn of you when you're in public life …
Boy
Were you …
P.M
… it's a bit rough—it's a bit rough on your husband really.
Boy
Were you offended?
P.M
No, not offended. It's a pity if you can't laugh at yourself.
Talking Together
P.M
Now, where are we? Yes? Ita. [end p5]
ITA
Eta.
P.M
Eta.
ITA
Why do you think England ought to return to Victorian values?
P.M
Victorian values—they're not really Victorian values. There are some values which belong really to all times. We saw quite a bit of them during Victorian times; self-reliance doing things voluntarily, not because you have to, doing things voluntarily. When you do better yourself, turning round and helping others. Believing in work as work. I work, I enjoy work, I never understand people who don't. I love work, it is the most interesting and … thing. So you have the people who are self-reliant when they've prospered themselves they've turned round and helped others. If we had all the great big voluntary things starting then because people felt they not only—were not only trying to get a better standard of living for themselves, they were trying to do something for the other people around them, and when I was Secretary of State for Education, so many of the schools I had to replace were schools built voluntarily in Victorian times. So many of the church halls, again, built during that time. Even some of the prisons were built during that time as all of a sudden you've got a tremendous new awareness of a kind of social conscience or the fact that the community doesn't consist of someone else, it consists of us, and it's what we do about it that in fact makes the future. [end p6]
Girl
Prime Minister, Grenadians historically look towards Britain for help, why weren't the British troops sent in instead of the Americans?
P.M
Britain gave Grenada independence back in 1974 with a full constitution and a full democracy. When you've given independence to a country you can't go in and take it back. It wouldn't be true independence, would it, if you did that. And so you can only go in if you're asked really by the lawful government. And let me tell you when we did go in: Tanzania, after it had been made independent, had great problems and the lawful head of government Mr. Nyerere asked us back in, we did. We were properly asked in, we went back, put the country in order and came out. Belize, not far from you, a country that we gave independence after yours, Mr. … said, would you please keep some of your troops here, we're not ready yet to defend ourselves, please keep some of your troops and train them. We still have troops at the behest, or at the wish of the head of government. We had no request from the head of government in any way. Indeed we asked Sir Paul Scoonthe Governor General on the Sunday whether he sought outside intervention and he said he didn't.
Boy
Prime Minister …
P.M
Yes. I'm so sorry, it's from one side to the other, it's like Wimbledon, isn't it? Yes. [end p7]
Boy
I'm from Australia and I'd like to know what you feel about the Australian government stopping the Invincible from going into the dry docks?
P.M
Very disappointed, naturally. Invincible is a great ship and the name has a very great history in the British Navy. But I don't think we'll come to the end of the story, we're still trying to find a way with the Australian government, and we're such good friends, Britain and Australia, that I hope we will manage to find a way.
Girl
Mrs. Thatcher, as we've only got one university in Zimbabwe, do you have any plans to help us build more?
P.M
We give aid to Zimbabwe, as you know. I think it's really for Mr. Mugabe to say how he wishes to use that aid. He has certain projects and we do give aid, but we have no plans to build another university for Zimbabwe. At present.
Paul
We've asked a lot of what are politically based questions. We're having a question from Noah over here, so perhaps she could start with a few more personal ones. Noah.
Noah
I hear you don't have a cook here, does that mean you do all your own cooking? [end p8]
P.M
Well, we do two things. First if we have big luncheon parties, for example, there is one in today, we get someone in to come to do it from the outside because one couldn't possibly do that, and everything therefore is done. Upstairs—we don't live in these rather lovely rooms that you see, these are the official entertaining rooms—we live upstairs in a little flat which we like, and really, you know, when you come in late at night, or if you happen to be there for a half day at the weekend, or you have something and just come in quickly, it's so much easier just to go down to the kitchen and cook something quickly yourself. The sort of hours I have, I don't think any outside person could tolerate, and I might come in hungry at about 11 o'clock, well, you just go down and get something. So for big—for the big parties and so on, we do have people in from outside to do it for us. When we're just among ourselves, well, we're just among ourselves and anyway, I like doing a little bit of cooking.
Child
Prime Minister …
P.M
Yes.
Child
Mrs. Thatcher.
P.M
Again. Again.
Child
What type of school did your children go to?
P.M
Which what?
Child
What type of school? [end p9]
P.M
They went to private school, a one not very far away from home, and then they went to private schools—they're called public schools …
Child
Yes.
P.M
… in fact, private schools, always near London. I felt that although they were going to boarding school, and my son went to boarding school, and then you cannot treat a daughter differently if she wants to go.
Child
Is this the reason that you're cutting ILEA, because you don't seem to understand what it's like in a comprehensive school with the multi racial atmosphere and a mixed class? I for one know that if ILEA is cut, half my friends won't be able to have school dinners and most of them won't be able to go on school journeys anymore.
P.M
ILEA runs more expensively than any other education authority …
Child
But it was a really good …
P.M
… throughout the whole of the United Kingdom. Its results are not good, even although the expenditure is vastly in excess of other very very difficult areas, and there are other difficult areas, but its result for most expenditure, I'm afraid its results are very unsatisfactory.
Child
In our school … [end p10]
P.M
Now can I just—can I just go on? I myself was educated in ordinary state schools. And ordinary council primary school and, in those days, a grammar school, and I think it's a great pity we don't have more grammar schools. When ILEA ceases to be, the schools will return to their local authorities. Now, the area I represent is in the Greater London Council, it is not in ILEA. We look after our own schools, they are council schools and church schools but we look after them and so when ILEA itself ceases to be, those schools will come under the local council …
Child
Will they come under (NOT CLEAR) schools, will they …
P.M
No, they'll just come under the local council, and it's for the local council to make what proposals they like if they wish to change the schools.
Child
But the local councils may not have any money, therefore schools will not exist.
P.M
I'm sorry, this is just ridiculous, Finn. I'm sorry, this is just ridiculous. I represent Barnet. What do you mean the schools will not exist?
Finn
Well, not not exist …
P.M
It is a duty …
Finn
… they won't have any money to do anything … [end p11]
P.M
Well, I'm very sorry, but how ridiculous. You know, I've just indicated, Finn, that we pour more money into ILEA—we don't, the ratepayers do—more money is poured into ILEA schools for less good results than in other very similar areas in the United Kingdom. You do not get good results necessarily by pouring in money. You get it, I believe, by good and dedicated teachers, by very good administration, and I have always thought that ILEA is too big. I think parents prefer to go to an education authority which is closer to their homes, they can go to the office, they can discuss things with the education minister and I, personally, would not have another ILEA in other parts of the country. Indeed, I stopped it, and I kept the schools within the districts, within the towns, so when we got great big countries, metropolitan countries, in other parts of the country, we did not repeat ILEA, and quite thank goodness we didn't. We kept it within the big towns, so Manchester has its own education authority, Sheffield will have its own education authority because they are within the town.
Paul
Okay. I think we've covered that subject, Finn, I hope that answers your question. Perhaps we'll go back to it later if it didn't. We'll move on for the moment, though, with Andrew.
Andrew
Prime Minister, do you ever watch Paul Hogan on television, and if so, do you like him? [end p12]
P.M
Well, I'm afraid I do not watch television a very great deal, I watch the news and then when there are special programmes like the one Finn asked about, I do, and then sometimes if I have any time I watch sometimes some of the serials, you know, Smiley's People and the Barchester Towers. I saw a little bit of Jane Austen, Mansfield Park.
Child
Prime Minister, do you ever watch children's programmes like CBTV?
P.M
Alas, no. They come on at a time when I am just very very busy.
Child
Will you watch today some of the programme that we're recording today?
P.M
Can you tell me what time it is?
Child
They're showing it tomorrow at quarter to five.
P.M
Well, no, I'll not be able to watch it, but we'll take a video of it and then I will see it much later. I'll look at you, Finn, and I'm sure you'll come out marvellously on it.
Paul
Examine your cross-examination. Let's have a few more personal questions. [end p13]
Child
Prime Minister?
PM
Yes … . can you tell me how we pronounce your name?
Child
Iyandele
PM
Iyandele, because on the second … Iyandele …
Child
Yes.
PM
Iyandele.
Child
In the event of a nuclear war what will you do for the general public?
PM
I do not expect there will be a nuclear war. The reason why we arm as much as we do is to stop, or to deter, to stop anyone else from attacking us. I believe very strong nations who want to extend their power attack weak ones. It is as I said to some of you … your friends last year, a bully goes for a weak country, it does not go for a strong one. I must make it quite clear, I do not expect there to be a nuclear war. Our weapons—they are to deter such a war from starting, and they have been totally successful in that.
Child
Prime Minister, have you got any bad habits?
PM
Oh, I'm sure I have lots and lots of bad habits, but I'm sure you wouldn't say what your bad habits are (LAUGHTER). I am very very impatient, very very impatient if things aren't done very quickly. I can't bear it if anyone else is unpunctual and so on. [end p14]
Child
If you had the chance of being anybody in the world but yourself, who would you be?
PM
Oh that's a very very difficult question. Well I think—who would I be? Well you know I think we all want to feel that we do something for other people. I think if I were asked I think I would choose to be Mother Teresa, I think she's an absolutely wonderful person, don't you?
Child
Mrs. Thatcher what do you do to relax?
PM
What do I do to?
Child
Relax.
PM
I don't have an awful lot of time to relax. I will go for a walk which for me is a great pleasure, I will read, I will listen to music. Now and then I will listen and watch television, but for me doing quite a bit of the housework is relaxing. I mean every week-end I've got to get everything back into position. Do you put everything back where it should be when you use it? No, I'm sure you don't. Well somehow over the week-end I've got to get everything, you know clothes have got to be right for the next week, and things that have been left about have got to be put back into position, and on Sunday evening, it will take me quite a time just to go and chase everything back. For me that's relaxation.
Paul
Do you have any hobbies, or any particular sports or activities that you follow?
PM
It used to be our great joy, we used to go as a family, we used to take our annual holiday, not so much in the summer, but in winter and we used to go skiing. It's absolutely marvellous. I thought it was a wonderful sport, [end p15]
PM
I loved it, but since I became leader of the Party eight years ago, I haven't been skiing, because I don't think anyone would be very sympathetic with me if I came back with a broken ankle and had to hobble round the House of Commons. I love going to watch Wimbledon, I can only go once, but I think again it's a marvellous game, only two of you. I do watch television, golf, usually it's late at night and snooker. Do you watch snooker? You know this week-end it was absolutely fantastic! They make it all look easy, very very easy.
Paul
Do you watch your husband play golf at all?
PM
No, I don't, again I could go round and caddy for him, couldn't I? But usually you see I have a lot of week-end work to do as well, and really I suppose what we really like doing when we're both free, is just having a few friends in for supper and just talking, and that really, we used to do it very much at home, always our Sunday evening supper, you know get your friends in and just talk, or go out to friends and just talk, and this is where I learned about what was going on in the world. I used to listen to grown-ups talking and joined in, and really we find that far better than watching television, talking yourself, and trying to shape your own views, about what's going on in the world, and making sure you know about.
Child
Prime Minister, just how much free time do you get for leisure and that sort of thing?
PM
Well, very very little, because you see, you come into Number 10, and you probably think that it's a house of the Prime Minister. Well, [end p16]
PM
You're quite right it is, but it's also the office of the Prime Minister, and there are about 100 people working here every day, and every room you see on the front—the whole of the front house is taken up with offices, and of course there are always people on duty here night and day, because supposing we got a message from Hong Kong—their day is as our night, and sometimes you know—something is going on in the United Nations, it's five hours behind us, so you might get a message about how they're going to vote. It would come to us at about two o'clock in the morning, so we've always got people on duty here, and I am always on duty, and even if I'm at Chequers, then we have all the same telephones, and all the same communications, so indeed I will have to say if I'm going out for a walk, look I'm going out for a walk for about an hour, I will be back in an hour, and … that's just the way I like it.
Child
Mrs. Thatcher, … did you ever have any childhood heroes?
PM
Oh I think yes, quite a number. Winston of course was always our great childhood hero, all the ones you see pictures of—if you go here—Nelson, Wellington, Pitt … Prime Minister Pitt was always really a rather remarkable person, and then … we knew one or two missionaries in my life, because we were very closely connected with the Church, and they used to come and tell us. They used to come and talk to us about the work which missionaries would do in Africa, and in some of the other countries to which we sent missionaries, and it always seemed to me that what they had to do, they had some great purpose in life. You know they went out to help others, they could see the results of their work, and it always seemed to me that if you have [end p17] the kind of work, the kind of job which has something that really needs doing, and you can see the results of your effort, that really is marvellous, and so as a child, I really wanted to join the … to go to India, because I knew a great deal of work needed doing there. At that time India was not yet independent, and because I'd seen many many people come back and told us of the work that needed to be done to help the people to have a higher standard of living, to help them to grow crops better, so these were, yes, they were very much politicians, and also a number of the great people of the great missionaries who went out and did this fantastic work. [end p18]
Child
Prime Minister, have you redecorated 10 Downing Street since you've come here?
PM
No, we haven't, this—this was redone in the early 1970's, it—it's lovely silk, we've had it cleaned and it looks beautiful. We have done one or two things, these that you're sitting on have come since I've been here, because the other ones have been here since the 1930's and all the springs have gone. And to have taken it right down to the springs and done it all up would've been more expensive than doing it here, but all the … I think we have … During the Royal Wedding year when we had a lot of entertaining here, we decided that it needed a new lick of paint and it also had a new lick of paint, and … lots of things. When I came here there weren't very many things on mantelpieces, this—and we've been lent a lot of silver and things, you know all of the little nick nacks that …
Child
(NOT CLEAR).
PM
Down here? No, most of my personal things are upstairs.
Child
… trouble when you were at school?
PM
Oh didn't we all, I—I-I'm sure we all did, I mean we are none of us perfect angels are we, and there's also a streak of rebellion in all of us, isn't there?
Child
Prime Minister, as well as being Prime Minister you are also the MP for the constituency of Finchley, and do you find time to solve the problems in Finchley? [end p19]
PM
Oh yes, again I'm lucky, being here I'm lucky in having an outer London constituency, and for example last week I was up there one whole—not this Saturday because as you know we had terrible things happening this Saturday, and I was obviously around and about where the things were happening—the previous Saturday I had been in my constituency the whole day, going to visit some of the old folk who can't get out, and also we had a little reception for someone, a lady aged 90, who's done so much for everything The Red Cross, The Old People's Welfare, she's one of these people who are always giving out and then we had an old people's dinner, and then I saw some people who've had problems, and that was my whole day. Yes, of course I do.
Child
But, I mean, by problems I mean … the National Front situation and that, which I experienced myself, um, problems like that?
PM
Well most of the problems that come to us are personal problems, now and again you'll get a political problem of that kind as you know. I dislike those things that the National Front stands for. It has nothing to do with the things in which I believe.
Child
Mrs. Thatcher.
PM
Yes. Now has anyone not had a chance for …
Paul
I think, Ralph, you had a personal question that you haven't asked. [end p20]
PM
Ralph, you're very quiet; come on, let's hear it, let's have another go.
Ralph
You have such a busy life, do you have sort of time for keeping fit or exercise in any way?
PM
Well, I don't really have time to get unfit, and you've probably seen there are quite a lot of stairs, and I do run up and down the stairs rather than take the lift. You're quite right, one doesn't have enough time to walk, and I think walking is the best way of keeping fit, walking, going out in fresh air, but the stairs keep you quite fit.
Paul
Somebody had another question also about your hair style?
PM
Oh dear! It's been done this morning, it isn't always looking as nice as this.
Child
Who does your hair?
PM
A hairdresser who I've been going to for quite a long time in South Kensington. Not one of the—no not one of the world famous ones, they're very expensive.
Child
When you get the chance to shop, where do you shop?
PM
Oh all over, we—we get quite a lot from Marks and Spencers, a lot from Sainsbury's, the Army and Navy is not very far away, and sometimes from smaller shops because I'm a great believer in trying to help those who are running small shops. So if you're out in the country it's much smaller shops. [end p21]
Child
(NOT CLEAR)
PM
Well when I talk to the Queen, it's quite private, but I did see on television on the news the things that you saw, and I did see the President of Bangladesh at the Commonwealth Conference. And of course Bangladesh does need a great deal of help. It is as you know very poverty stricken as you saw the pictures of some of those children, and we in our country do try to make a point of giving most aid to the poorest countries, because we know how much they need it.
Paul
Mrs. Thatcher, you mention a moment ago about the atrocities at the weekend, perhaps you could assure the children here and those watching at home, and tell us what can be done to stop this sort of thing happening again.
PM
It is not easy to stop every terrorist, because it is—you have to watch everywhere, and they can choose where they attack. The police are very very watchful indeed, and will continue their watchfulness, we all have to watch, and the other thing is this. If anyone knows or is harbouring or looking after those criminals, they really must find a way of letting the police know, because that was terrible, but we all have to be watchful, if you see a parcel and there's no-one near it, then you have to call someone, it really could be very damaging, and I think perhaps that the police will see that the cars are not near these buildings, because of course so many people go and want to park near the place where they're going to shop, but we have to be very very watchful, and then if there is a scare and there are a lot of scares that come to nothing, but you have to [end p22] do absolutely as the police say, because you do not know which is the hoax and which is the one for real. But the awful thing is that there are terrible people in this world, terrible people, who will at Christmas time, or any other time, attack innocent men and women and boys and girls.
Child
I was 5 miles away from the blast and I heard it myself, it was terrible. I hid, and what do you think the reason for this—the attacks are?
PM
They are people—they are people who have the vote, have every civil right, who can try to persuade people to their way by talking, by standing for Parliament, but they're not able to do it that way, because people don't want to do it that way, so they they try terrorist tactics to intimidate people, and to make them frightened.
Child
Yes, but what is the reason for the IRA doing it, especially …?
PM
But that is exactly why. That's exactly why, they can—they can … The people in Northern Ireland send 17 members to Westminster and they have their own assembly, they can vote for that, but when they don't get the full result they want from those … don't vote that way in sufficient number, they saw a right as the ballot box won't give us what we want, we'll use bombs and we'll kill people. And that is dreadful.
Child
How … . have you seen (NOT CLEAR) and what do you think of it? [end p23]
PM
Have I seen?
Child
Evita?
PM
Evita. I saw Evita yes, quite a long time ago. It's a … it's a very remarkable musical, beautifully produced, I enjoyed it.
Child
What do you think of Eva Peron?
PM
She was a totally different person. I mean they were—I thought that they—they used force, which I totally and utterly reject. I'm afraid that it was the start of the Fascist regime in Argentina—Argentina.
Paul
Robert, I know you've got another question haven't you?
Robert
What sort of things do you dream about?
PM
When I sleep I tend fortunately to sleep very soundly, but if I have something very very worrying on my mind, I tell you what I often do, something very very worrying the next day, and I'm in a terrible hurry then one dream, you possibly have the same dream, that you just can't find everything, or you—you're running to catch the train and your legs are leaden and they won't run. Do you ever dream that one?
Children
Yes.
PM
And it's—you're not ready or you've got an exam the next day and you haven't done any revision, or somehow you've [end p24] got to catch the—an airplane to the United States for a big conference, time is going on and you're just not ready, it's part of the worry, that's what happens the night before, and I always do catch it, but there you are.
Child
Do you have any pets at all?
PM
Any?
Child
Pets.
PM
No, we haven't time to look after them. I would love a dog, I would love a dog, but the thing is if you're going to have pets they must be properly looked after and they must be properly exercised, and we couldn't do that and so alas we don't have any.
Child
What sort of breed would you prefer?
PM
Oh, I would love, I would love a Golden Labrador, I think they're beautiful, they're very affectionate.
Child
Prime Minister, what do you think about Neil Kinnock as the Labour Leader?
PM
Well I don't have any—any choice in the Labour Leader, I just accept whoever they have and twice a week we argue across the dispatch box. I think it's always a great pity that people regard it as a great clash of two leaders, I often think it would be much more civilised you know if that didn't lead to a clash, but there you are. I … I had—I have worn out quite a lot of leaders, [end p25] Mr. Wilson, Mr. Callaghan, Mr. Foot and Mr. Kinnock, that's four in my time.
Child
Prime Minister, what can Britain do to help Grenada now?
PM
As you know a lot of the American forces now have left and they still have some and of course they'll need to have some in, but if we're asked and—and—and, when we can arrange it, we—they would really I think like us to take a considerable part, either in training their police force and supplying police, and if they ask us, and we don't want to intrude, if they ask us if we could help with arranging the elections cause we've had quite a lot experience of arranging elections. We did it of course for Zimbabwe and the Commonwealth did it to help Uganda. So internal security, we're a kind of police force because you know our police are so much honoured the world over, and we've tried to help with elections and we have just given a little bit of extra aid, but we don't like to intrude, we're the ex-colonial power, and therefore obviously we've said that we'll respond to any reasonable request, it would be our pleasure to do so, and we would like to.
Paul
Thank you very much Prime Minister, I hope we haven't been an intrusion this morning, it's the second time we've come to visit you.
PM
You've been a delight.
Paul
I hope we can come and visit you once more. [end p26]
PM
Is there anyone who has not got their question out, this is what bothers me.
Paul
I'm sure everybody's had a good (NOT CLEAR) …
TALKING TOGETHER
PM
… . and you must go around and see …
Paul
… . take this opportunity from everyone here to wish you the best in 1984 and thank you very much.
PM
And a happy Christmas and a good New Year to you all.
Children
Thank you.
PM
Thank you for coming.
MAN IN BACKGROUND
Child
I come from Canada, which is a large country with many natural resources, is there any point in such a powerful country belonging to the Commonwealth?
MAN IN BACKGROUND
Child
I come from Canada, which is a large country with many natural resources, is there any point in such a large country, powerful country …
MAN IN BACKGROUND
[end p27]Child
I come from Canada, which is a large country with many natural resources, is there any point in such a powerful country belonging to the Commonwealth?
MAN IN BACKGROUND
Child
What kind of things do you dream about?
MAN IN BACKGROUND
Child
What do you do to relax?
MAN IN BACKGROUND
Boy
I'm from the Falklands, I'm wondering, after hearing your goodwill message to the new Argentine President, whether you had any plans to talk sovereignty over the islands?
MAN IN BACKGROUND
Boy
I'm from the Falklands, and I'm wondering if you …
LAUGHTER
Boy
I'm from the Falkland Islands and after hearing your goodwill message to the new Argentine President, I was wondering if you had any plans to talk sovereignty over the islands?
MAN IN BACKGROUND
TALKING TOGETHER [end p28]
Paul
I'm afraid that's all we've got time for Prime Minister, let me er thank you on be—I … sorry. Shut up!
BACKGROUND CHAT
Paul
I'm afraid that's all we've got time for Prime Minister, I hope we haven't been an intrusion here, in Downing Street, on what is the second occasion, and I hope that there's time perhaps for a third visit next year. On behalf of all the reporters here and myself I wish you all the best for 1984. And to you out there, wherever you are in the world, we wish you too the best from CBTV for 1984.
BACKGROUND CHAT
Paul
Well that's all we've got time for Prime Minister, I'm sorry to stop you, I hope we haven't been an intrusion here in Downing Street, for what is the second visit, and I hope there'll be a third visit, and I take this opportunity on behalf of the CBTV reporters and myself to wish you all the best for 1984. Thank you. And to you out there, all the best for 1984. Bye now.
MAN IN BACKGROUND
Paul
Well I'm afraid we'll have to stop you there Prime Minister, but thank you very much for letting us come along here and visit you for what is the second time, and I hope that we're invited back again to talk to you. On behalf of the CBTV reporters and myself, wish you all the best for 1984, and to everyone out there, best wishes from CBTV for 1984. Bye now. [end p29]
Paul
Thank you very much Prime Minister, I'm afraid I'm going to have to stop you there, I hope we haven't been too much of an intrusion here in Downing Street on what is our second visit, I hope we're able to visit you for a third time perhaps next year. May we take this opportunity from the CBTV reporters and myself to wish you all the best for 1984, and once again thank you. And to everyone out there, best wishes from CBTV for 1984. Bye now.