Speeches, etc.

Margaret Thatcher

Remarks opening Glasgow Shopping Centre (Militant inspired riot in Hackney)

Document type: Speeches, interviews, etc.
Venue: St Enoch’s Shopping Centre, central Glasgow
Source: Scottish TV Archive: OUP transcript
Editorial comments: Between 0900 and 1015. The Edinburgh Evening News has a further fragment, possibly from this engagement. Asked about the Conservative Party’s poor position in the Scottish polls, she admitted: "We have a long way to go".
Importance ranking: Major
Word count: 309
Themes: Labour Party & socialism, Law & order, Community charge (“poll tax”)
MT walking through the centre surrounded by a crowd of advisers, bodyguards, journalists, etc. Background noise considerable

Questioner

Prime Minister, ITN. Can I just ask you, if I may, your reaction to the events last night in Hackney?

MT

[Pauses]

I'm afraid it's one of a series which we know are being organised by Militant, as you know. And it is not the way to conduct affairs at all. In a democracy the way is to debate in Parliament, the legislation has been through Parliament, and anything that is intimidatory or violent is absolutely flatly contradictory to democracy. People can demonstrate, of course they can. They should do so peacefully. But they are of course tending to go for some of the councils that are setting very high community charges, as a result of Labour Councils, and some of them … [inaudible] … very very high charges indeed. So they have got something to grouse about, but the way to do it is complain quietly.

Questioner

Prime Minister, are you worried about your standing in the Scottish opinion polls?

MT

Oh, it's going up! Long may it go up. Thank you very much.

Questioner

Still behind Labour though.

MT

Well, we haven't got an election at the moment and I'm very very pleased about the prosperity here.

Questioner

Are you here to rally the troops in Scotland?

MT

Well we had a marvellous evening last night. A wonderful meeting. [Remainder of answer—several sentences—inaudible.]

QUESTIONER

Are you particularly welcome in Glasgow?

MT

I certainly … [remainder inaudible. MT and entourage walk off].