Sir Robin Day, BBC
Prime Minister, with this historic landslide of over a hundred seats majority, there was really no need for you to have been as nervous as you were early yesterday?
Prime Minister
Oh, I never assume victory as you know. We did not know precisely what was going to happen because one of the reasons was we did not know how the Opposition was going to split. That was a new factor and we could not possibly evaluate it so it was always right to be cautious.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
I heard you say that you are “rearing to go now” - rearing to do what?
Prime Minister
Well, we have to get the Queen's speech ready and I am very anxious this time to get some of the measures that were right in our manifesto in the first session. Last time when we were returned we had a lot of old bills to bring forward. This time we have the finance bill to complete and we have the criminal justice bill to [end p1] complete but I want the big housing bill and I want a big education bill.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
What is your priority?
Prime Minister
Those two: housing and education among the new things.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
Is there any change in the direction that Thatcherism will take from now on? Has your majority made you rethink your tactics?
Prime Minister
No, the tactics are very good ones: sound financial policy operated by Government, continue to cut the controls and then the people supply the enterprise which has given the growth not only for an increased standard of living but for social services; that is the right background to continue and the increasing extension of property. The whole of the point about housing and education was to bring increasing opportunity to some of those very people in inner cities who feel they are trapped and that is why I want to bring it forward as fast as possible.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
Now there is another side politically to a big majority, particularly one for the third time and that is this:
Is there not a real danger that some of the left, some of the [end p2] people who are opposed to your policies may feel, in the course of the next two or three years, frustrated? They may feel they cannot hope to get anything done about what they want to do and they may take to extra-parliamentary activities which is bad for our democracy?
Prime Minister
Well, that shows what they are like; it does not show what anyone else is like.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
Well, it may be sheer frustration rather than malice.
Prime Minister
No, no, it is not sheer frustration. Either you subscribe to democracy and accept its judgements or you do not - and if you do not then you understand that there are people in our society who are fundamentally setting out to undermine democracy which is what we have often said and they must not succeed. Heaven knows we fought two wars on it. They must not succeed.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
Some questions I want to ask Prime Minister which I know you will not answer for obvious reasons but I am going to have a try: are you going to have a Cabinet reshuffle? I have not mentioned any names. [end p3]
Prime Minister
We shall be considering that this weekend.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
Is it going to be a big one?
Prime Minister
I do not anticipate that it will be a very large one.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
Are you a good butcher, because it has always been said that a Prime Minister should be a good butcher?
Prime Minister
No, I hate it. Maybe it has and some of them are better than others but I have never heard of anyone who liked this particular part of the job. You have worked with people for a long time; they are friends and one of the main reasons you do it is to bring other young people up. Everyone in politics has to be able to see some chance of climbing the ladder and that is why it has to be done sometimes.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
So that means some of the old boys have got to be put aside?
Prime Minister
Do not try your luck any further, Robin, please. [end p4]
Sir Robin Day, BBC
May I ask you this? You mentioned the inner cities in your speech. Without going into that aspect of policy in detail, is that a sign that Mr Heseltine, who was a very successful Minister for Merseyside, which is one of the areas you have been talking about, might come back?
Prime Minister
I am not going to say anything further about a Cabinet reshuffle. As you said, you will ask these questions and you would not really expect me to answer them.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
Let me just mention one more because it is very interesting, because he said this morning to me at about 3 o'clock in the morning that he would be willing to accept a post in your cabinet and that is Mr Edward Heath, who campaigned vigorously for your re-election and expressed great pleasure that you had such a large majority. What about Mr Heath; he has got a lot to offer?
Prime Minister
As you know, I cannot and will not go any further, so put more and more names and you will get the same answer.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
But you do not rule it out? [end p5]
Prime Minister
I am not saying anything more than I have said even under your extreme provocation; I have learnt to deal with that over the years.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
I am sorry you regard it as extreme provocation Prime Minister, it is just that my enthusiasm for a moment of history …
You referred just now, a few moments ago, to my colleague from ITN to your most fantastic triumph in this election …
Prime Minister
The party's most fantastic triumph - it has been.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
You will not let your third victory, your historic victory, you will not let it go to your head politically.
Prime Minister
No of course not. We have got it because we managed to convince the people that the things we were doing were right and that we are the party for the future and one of the terrific things was the increasing number of young people who are voting for us; that really is we are the party for the future and we have to get on with it, but we have to get on with it really in a sense of great humility. What is it?
The tumult and the shouting dies
The Captains and the Kings depart[end p6]
Sir Robin Day, BBC
Kipling.
Prime Minister
Still stands thine ancient sacrifice
The humble and a contrite heart.We serve but we serve along the lines which we placed fully before the electorate because we believe in them, because we believe they are right for Britain, because we believe they are the ones which will bring opportunity to many people who have not had it. We just get on with doing all that because we believe in it.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
Funny how Prime Ministers like to quote Kipling in this building. Harold Wilson was the last person to quote to me those lines.
Prime Minister
Yes, as you know, I have been a great Kipling believer now for may years.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
You spoke about the future - one last question - do you visualise yourself going for a fourth term in the future?
Prime Minister
Look, let us get really well into the third term completing some of the things we have to do. You can never foretell in life [end p7] what will happen.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
How about going on to be Prime Minister in the year 2000 when after all you will only be seventy-five?
Prime Minister
Well, you never know. I might be here, I might be twanging a harp; let us just see how things go.
Sir Robin Day, BBC
Prime Minister, thank you very much.