Earlier, the Prime Minister said she had endless sympathy for the families of the two policemen. And she expressed her outrage at the shooting incident itself:
Thatcher Act
Utterly appalled that these people, who're there to protect us, were gunned down in cold blood. A terrible shock to their families. They go out on duty not knowing what the day will hold and it ends in appalling tragedy. And it just must remind us of the risks these people undergo to protect our freedom and liberty.
Mrs. Thatcher was also asked if she backed the call from the Police Federation for the restoration of capital punishment. She said she'd always voted for the return of the death penalty in certain cases - but she recognised that, in the Commons, she was in a minority.