Premier points to a ‘spirit of confidence’

“people are seeing that Tory policies are now working and there is a spirit of confidence,” said Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, at Finchley Conservatives' annual dinner and dance.

One million new jobs had been created and the unemployment curve is going down she declared.

People were taking advantage of this and new business were being created.

Jobs are also growing in the service sector. The numbers in work were going up and the number of unemployed going down.

The excellent “Action for Jobs” programme offering different schemes of help with training and starting a business were proving most successful.

Mrs Thatcher reminded her audience that the Conservatives were the first government to provide severe weather payments.

The Opposition had never given any extra help against exceptionally cold weather but it didn't stop them criticising the government for not giving enough, she said.

Mrs Thatcher praised the hard work done by the City, which annually earned over £7½ billion for Britain.

This was greater than North Sea oil revenue at its peak, and also provided one million jobs.

She concluded by saying the Conservatives were the only party committed to defence. “People don't attack a strong country,” she declared.

Constituency chairman Ron Thurlow presented Mrs Thatcher with two silver topped decanters for her son Mark, soon to be married.

She said she would telephone him in America the next day to tell him.

She also said how delighted she and her family were about the forthcoming wedding and she looked forward to having another Mrs Thatcher in the family.