PM tantalises over election

The Prime Minister dropped tantalising hints about the next General Election when she addressed the annual meeting of her Finchley constituency party on Monday night.

During a speech in which she highlighted the government's positive approach to leadership over the past eight years, the Prime Minister twice mentioned a possible election for 1987.

Firstly, she said: “The forthcoming budget would not be different this year in an election year—if it turns out to be an election year.”

Towards the end of the meeting she also emphasised the government's new legislation on postal voting, which she said would give more opportunity for people to vote in an election while on holiday.

Mrs Thatcher began her address by praising the emergency services who had acted so quickly and magnificently in the Zeebrugge ferry disaster.

“It was the most supreme personal courage together with kindness, skill and professionalism that I have ever seen. Ordinary people seem to show extraordinary qualities at these times, and we should be proud that the people of Europe rose to the occasion in the way they did,” she said.

The emphasis of the Prime Minister's speech was concerned with her government's positive approach to leadership, which she felt would show itself in another election victory.

She told a packed meeting: “All of our policies are positive ones. Our approach is the positive approach. We are the party who are looking forward and making progress, not the party of negative policies.”

She said that the aim of government is to serve the people; not dominate them.

“The aim of our trade union reform was to give more powers to the individual, and that's why we introduced legislation on secret ballots, and reforms to stop the employer being threatened by the unions,” she said.

Mrs Thatcher then moved to the unemployment problem and said the Government is doing more for the unemployed than any other country in Europe.

“Our training schemes mean that no one under 18 should have to be on the dole. However, we must remember that as well as unemployment figures there are also many unfulfilled vacancies which should be taken into account.”

On defence Mrs Thatcher told the meeting that her government's policy means Britain is secure and strong—which she considers a Government's first duty. [end p1]

(2) Finchley Times, 19 March 1987

Maggie wins a warm response …

The Prime Minister gave Finchley Tories exactly what they wanted last week—a rousing pre-election speech.

Mrs Thatcher got a standing ovation at the Finchley and Friern Barnet Conservative Association annual meeting in St. Marys Hall, Hendon Lane, after she outlined her party's “positive approach” , on defence, law and order, finance, unemployment and industry. But she would not be pressed on the date of the general election.

Speaking about the next budget, she said: “This year will be no different because it is an election year, if it turns out to be an election year. I haven't made up my mind and won't until I'm certain we can win with the best majority, is that clear?” [end p2]

She said the Government had reformed the trade unions and transformed industrial relations. And she denied the Tories are insensitive to people's needs. “There is unemployment across Europe but no country is doing more to try and help the unemployed than this country. We have a record in social services second to none.”

She claimed that employers complain that they cannot fill their vacancies and she added that the Government has been “consistent and steady” on pensions.

The Prime Minister, who is due to go to Moscow at the end of the month, said it is only because of the West's strong policy on nuclear weapons that the Russians have put forward their latest arms reduction proposals.

“It is strength which gets a response not weakness.” Labour's utterly disgraceful inner-city policy of keeping the police out of schools was slammed and there was also an attack on its taxation policy, when she said people work for their families and not to pay the maximum amount in taxes.

“We've made class warfare totally irrelevant and have property more widely distributed. There is a new confidence in this country about our capacity to do things at home and influence things abroad.”

Association president Frank Gibson, said the speech has “given us an arsenal of political ammunition for the doorstep. We're limbering up and can't wait to go to the starting blocks.” Last year was a good one for the Association, which gave more than £30,000 to Conservative Central Office.

Ferry disaster

Association members observed a minute's silence in memory of those who had lost their lives in the Zeebruge ferry disaster.

And Mrs Thatcher again paid tribute to the way the emergency services from four European countries had worked together to save many lives. [end p3]

(3) Finchley Leader, Spring 1987 (Issue No. 2)

“WE ARE THE PARTY OF POSITIVE POLICIES”

The policies of the Conservative Party are all positive” said Margaret Thatcher to the Annual General Meeting of Finchley Conservatives. There was standing room only at the meeting which was held in St Marys Hall, Hendon Lane on Monday 9th March.

Mrs. Thatcher mentioned the forthcoming budget and said it would make no difference whether or not it was an election year. She said people worked for their families not to pay the maximum amount in taxation and all the Budgets since 1979 had given more power to the people to take advantage of the opportunities that were offered.

She said this country was doing more than any other European country in the number of training schemes offered and she paid tribute to Lord Young who had produced the excellent “Action for Jobs Programme” .

This offered interviews and personal assistance to all those who had been out of work for more than a year, followed by the chance of a job or work on a community service scheme. Further interviews were given after another six months if this proved necessary. The number of job vacancies had now risen but employers were still complaining they could not get people to fill these.

Mrs. Thatcher said the Conservatives had positive policies for law and order and money had been provided to increase the number of police and for equipment support services. The range of sentences available had also been increased. Mrs. Thatcher condemned Socialist controlled inner city councils who would not let the police into schools.

Mrs. Thatcher pointed out that the Prevention of Terrorism Act had to be renewed by Parliament every year. Under this act suspected terrorists coming into the country could be detained. The Labour Party had consistently voted against this. They had voted against life sentences for the carrying of firearms and appeals against sentences that were too lenient.

Mrs. Thatcher concluded by saying that the positive policies had led to a massive increase in home ownership and share ownership and these positive policies would continue. She said people were always telling her they believed in what the Conservatives were doing and she appealed to people to come out and work for these positive policies to continue when the time came.