Speech at Tyne Tees TV Lunch

I would like to thank you, Sir Ralph Carr-EllisonSir Ralph, on behalf of all your guests, for inviting us to this very enjoyable lunch today.

I would also like to congratulate you and Tyne Tees on your excellent idea in bringing together in this way representatives from the North East and London of politics, industry, commerce, finance, unions, journalism and, of course, the church.

It can, I am sure, only be to the benefit of both, and [end p1] not least to the North East whose interests I watch with great concern.

As a television company you have probably done more than anyone else to display the North East to the world.

I often hear media people say that they hold up a mirror to society. This, I am sure, is what the best and most objective reporters seek to do.

But this raises the question of whether the media—and by that I mean the press and radio as well as television—accurately reflect the [end p2] life of the nation, given that the news in their terms is so often of violence, tragedy, conflict, distress—and that a concentrated diet of these things makes it very difficult to see life in perspective.

But may I say in passing what a marvellous lead to young people it was to see Live Aid on our screens on Saturday—the response of young people the world over to a tragedy brought home to them by television. Reaffirming in the language of pop the fundamental message of the Brotherhood of Man. [end p3]

Let me give you some current examples. — The word “cut” these days has come to be used when there is an increase but not as big an increase as has been demanded. — Being “dogmatic” is when Governments refuse to give in to every whim of every pressure group none of whom has any responsibility for reconciling priorities or for making the sums add up. [end p4] — “Being indifferent” is when Government states truly and without fear of refutation that Governments simply can't solve every problem.

I mention this, not just gently to bring the matter to your attention, but by way of asking the North East, through its very own television company, whether you always give a true and fair picture of yourselves—especially to Europe and the wider world when you are seeking investment in your home region. [end p5]

I am emphatically not trying to make light of your difficulties. Your level of unemployment is deeply disturbing. It results from a combination of factors: — first, the region's past reliance on heavy industry—coal, steel, shipbuilding and heavy engineering; — second, the changing fortunes of those industries in the west as a whole, together with enormous technological developments which mean more can be produced with fewer [end p6] people. — third, the preponderance of big businesses which, as a consequence, has left you without a sufficient healthy tradition of independent small business.

What the North East has been trying to do since the 1960s, perhaps more actually than any other region of Britain, is to modernise its economy. And in the process it has been discovering that however much progress you make technology and the increasing size of the [end p7] population of working age have been moving faster.

But look at the asset side of the balance sheet.

Maybe you in Tyne Tees are inhibited from saying what marvellously generous and warm hearted people you Geordies are. But as a Lincolnshire Lass, I can say so; and I hope soon again to sample your hospitality.

You have superb communications—road, rail and air links, not to mention the metro which [end p8] visitors from abroad come to see. And could I put in a plug here for Lord Hailsham who more than 20 years ago was directly responsible for the superb roads network you have today?

But you have current success stories, too: — Tyne shiprepair which has shown what a private firm can do when you have good management and a committed workforce. — Orders worth £248 million for Tyne & Wear shipyards to follow on Swan Hunter's business boosting performance in delivering the new [end p9] Ark Royal 4½ months ahead of schedule. — new £10 million coal terminal, the most modern in Europe, in the Port of Tyne. — A £50 million shopping and leisure complex for Gateshead—the site incidentally for the 1990 National Garden Centre—a real vote of confidence in the region's progress and buying power; not surprisingly since Newcastle's Marks & Spencer has the highest turnover of any of their stores apart from London's Oxford Street. — Nissan's decision to site its new European [end p10] car assembly plant in Washington of which you will, I know, make a real success. — Contracts to the North East worth £111 million for Marathon's North Brae oilfield. — British Rail's East Coast electrification which will put Darlington, Durham and Newcastle even more firmly on the business and tourist map. — And, of course, your North East heritage of unsurpassable coastline; glorious hills [end p11] which were made for walking; a Roman history; a collection of saints who cradled Christianity in Britain; of Kings and Castles; of marauders and battles—a tourist's paradise.

You also have some superb sportsmen. I am sure everyone here today would like to join me in congratulating Steve Cram on breaking the world 1500 metres record in a most exciting and courageous finish.

There is—as there always has been—an enormous Government commitment to the North East. A commitment in the shape of: [end p12] — very substantial regional and direct aid; — A programme to revitalise your inner urban areas; — Enterprise zones in Newcastle/Gateshead, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough; — Training and employment schemes which are benefiting 40,000 people at a cost of £150 million a year; — Roads, rail and airport investments—Newcastle Airport can now handle one million [end p13] passengers a year — And not to mention all the national policies—tax reliefs, deregulation, incentives, industry act, small firms and enterprise allowance schemes—designed to encourage new businesses. Of course, the Government cannot solve all the problems on its own, unaided. North East people know it was the initiative of their famous forebears who created and brought industrial prosperity to the region in the first place. [end p14] George Stephenson—the world's first Railway Engineer. Joseph Swan who first patented the electric light bulb. Charles Parsons who invented the steam turbine.

This brings me to the real key to your future: yourselves, the people of the North East.

The North East has a splendid heritage. [end p15]

It has a cultural life the envy of many in Britain. The Royal Shakespeare Company very successfully spends three months there. The Northern Sinfonia has just celebrated its 25 years with a tour of America.

You have two Universities—Durham and Newcastle—of considerable distinction, and three Polytechnics.

So my message to industrialists, businessmen, entrepreneurs the world over is: look at Tyne and Tees Wear and Tweed. [end p16]

I want to be able to say to people with money to invest: remember those four rivers. For those four rivers and the land which lies between them offer you the potential you seek.

They are part of a nation which has: — the highest—and rising—standard of living it has known; — rising industrial profits and productivity; — booming retail sales—figures this week [end p17] showed them at a new record, as indeed is investment. — a nation which is creating more new companies and jobs; indeed as Monday's report from Europe demonstrated, over the past year, more new jobs have been created in the UK than in the rest of the European Community taken together;

So sell the bright side with all the enthusiasm and energy at your command.

This country has a lot going for it. And so too has the North East.

I wish you success in all your endeavours.