I think there are areas in the North of great prosperity and there are areas in the South where we have great unemployment problems. What you have in the North, and I do not regard this as the North, you are right in what used to be the engineering heart, an industrial heart of Britain. Where the North has greater problems, is that it has a bigger proportion of some of the older industries and has been slow to change them. But it is happening. You look at Consett where the steel industry closed down and they really have a great big enterprise initiative which is bringing new jobs and it is getting industry to change. But look this is what we are doing here … . an Innovation Centre, sites available here, not many—they have nearly all been taken—young people starting up. They are getting grants to start up and I can see these grants being put to good use and what pleases me enormously is the service that the polytechnic is giving to many people in the latest technology and the polytechnics … . You have got to make enough money to keep employing your people and to make a profit to invest in new things and they are getting tremendous cooperation from the polytechnics and business and both are learning and it has all been facilitated by grants from Government because Birmingham is a selected assistance area and also the banks are putting some of their money in—which is depositors money—but you know you have to have a … . to your money to say we are going to risk this to help new people start up and that is what is happening.
Q
How do you explain that?
A
Well just have a look at the rest of Europe. One of the reasons why we have not been fast enough to give our people technologic change as fast as you can. Virtually no unemployment in Japan, comparatively little in the United [end p1] States—they have had their changes faster. We were very resistant to change. There is not another country in Europe that has had to tackle the restrictive practices of the overmanning that was present in Britain and the amount of hidden unemployment that was present there.
[(2) Central TV Archive: OUP transcript:]
Keith Wilkinson, Central TV
[voiceover] Mrs Thatcher arrived at the Brierley firm of Royal Brierley Crystal amid tight security. Her first call was at the company's museum where she got a quick history lesson on the world famous crystal ware which dates back to the [words drowned by laughter]. … went onto the shopfloor to meet some of the firm's five hundred workers and to see a demonstration of the highly skilled craft of glass-blowing. Here they shape the glassware which has decorated many a Royal table. This is one of the Black Country's success stories. Mrs Thatcher was there to open another chapter in Royal Brierley's history: a new showroom.
MT
I declare this showroom open [applause].
Keith Wilkinson, Central TV
[voiceover] The Prime Minister also congratulated members of the [inaudible words] in business.
MT
[chatting] … spectacular … very significant … I'll be very careful with it. It really is absolutely beautiful …
MT
[addressing an audience] … achievement in industry.
Keith Wilkinson, Central TV
But it's not all been achievement in the Black Country. Thousands of jobs have been lost in the region. Mrs Thatcher defended criticism [sic] over the gap between rich and poor parts of Britain.
MT
[speaking to reporter] There's only one way to succeed and that is by producing things that you and I and other people will buy, or by producing services. And look, the message is getting through, the goods are getting through. The year—we've had a good year, we've had a good year in retail sales. And it's been our greatest pleasure in the last three to four months: not only are more jobs being created, but unemployment is falling. But don't say north/south. There are great areas of prosperity in the north. Aberdeen was one of the most prosperous cities, one of our northernmost cities. Chester, one of our most prosperous cities. Where is the …
Keith Wilkinson, Central TV
But are you worried about the Two Nations?
MT
[end p2]One moment. No, I am not, because I don't think anyone's done more to get two nations together than we have.
Keith Wilkinson, Central TV
Do you see this as a problem for the election?
MT
No, I do not, because I think people realise that politicians aren't, that jobs aren't created by speeches made by politicians.
Keith Wilkinson, Central TV
[voiceover] This afternoon, Mrs Thatcher faced a small demonstration when she arrived in Birmingham … [words drowned by noise of traffic and a babble of conversation].