Interviewer
How do you feel about the decision to pull English clubs out of European football?
Prime Minister
I believe the Football Association took absolutely the right decision and I believe that it will make it clear for all those people on the Continent who like us saw those terrible scenes that we are taking this with the utmost gravity, and it is the kind of decision which the situation itself called for.
Interviewer
But what about the unfairness of it on many of the British clubs?
Prime Minister
Nothing can compare with the ordeal which those people in Brussels went through. That has put a shame on Britain, and a shame on football. That calls for extraordinary decisions and extraordinary actions and I am sure the football association and Mr. Smith … . in Liverpool were absolutely right. We must take this with the utmost gravity, and believe you me, public opinion is.
Interviewer
What do you say to the suggestion that the National Front were involved?
Prime Minister
I have heard that said in Brussels and I have also heard it said when we have had some trouble in matches at home. Anyone who is guilty of hooliganism or thugs like that, we have got to get and we have got to get them tried before the Courts. We have got to get the evidence and I hope severe sentences. Very severe sentences were handed out in Cambridge the other day, and in my view absolutely vital. If we can prevent it, and we must do everything possible to prevent it, then when it occurs, it has to be severely punished—heavy sentences.
Interviewer
Hooliganism of course has been going on for years. Do you have any other ways of preventing it?
Prime Minister
There has never been anything quite like what happened in Brussels. There are many ways we are going to discuss with the football association. We are in discussion with them as you know. In Scotland they have a special law against alcohol within the ground and we are hoping to introduce that law fairly [end p1] quickly with regard to England, but I think that is not enough and as you know we are already having discussions with the football association. They have taken on a heightened urgency and we shall have another meeting shortly.
Interviewer
How long do you hope English clubs will be out of Europe?
Prime Minister
We have got to clean up football here first, before we go back to Europe and say “look, we have dealt with it here and we believe we have dealt with it thoroughly. Now we would like to take part once again in the international game of football”.
Interviewer
So could it be two or five years do you think?
Prime Minister
We have got to do. It will destroy the game, and we have got to purge this shame on our country.
Interviewer
Prime Minister, thank you.