Thatcher's bold vision

The Prime Minister yesterday proclaimed her vision of Britain's inner cities—regenerated by people with entrepreneurial ability and flair, building manufacturing industry by spotting possibilities in the market place.

Standing among the foundations of the International Convention Centre in Birmingham, she said: “Government does not provide entrepreneurial flair. You cannot simply say to every department in Whitehall: ‘Take your bowlers and your brollies and go out and create 600 jobs in so many small towns’. There is a flair and entrepreneurial skill you cannot train.”

Mrs Margaret Thatcher was on a visit to the West Midlands as part of her tour of inner city areas.

In Birmingham, during a visit to a technical college at Handsworth, she came within a mile of the district where in 1985 there was serious rioting. Outside the college about 150 people protested and Miss Clare Short, Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood, said: “It is a cynical media event. She came in order to pretend to the media that she cares about the inner city.”

In Wolverhampton the Prime Minister launched a Task Force at the Crypt Association which she said was an attempt to co-ordinate the various government programme scheme.

The association, which receives 95 per cent of its funds from the Manpower Services Commission and 5 per cent from local authorities and businesses, trains 1,000 people in catering and computers, and employs others on environment and construction projects.

“The Task Force scheme is to help new entrepreneurs to train and set up in their area” , she said.

She then visited a handbag shop opened 10 weeks ago by two sisters with help from a government enterprise scheme and bought a handbag

Later she toured Sedgmoor Park estate—a new development of 450 houses being built on derelict and formerly occupied by the Bilston steel works.

After visiting the home of Mark and Claire Preece, a young married couple who paid £22,150 for their two-bedroom home—now worth £26,000—Mrs Thatcher said: “The young marrieds of this generation are starting at a level we never dreamt of. They have both got jobs and have got a first step on ladder.”