FINCHLEY FRAGMENTS

For and Against

Members of Finchley and Friern Barnet Conservative Association turned up in strength for the adoption meeting of Mrs. Margaret Hilda Thatcher, who will contest the next general election in place of Sir John Crowder, who is not seeking re-election. Although the president (Mr. Miller) and the chairman of the Association (Mr. Blatch) asked for a 100 per cent. vote in her favour, five members voted against. Major Cole, who supported her nomination, said he knew two members who had said they would not vote for a woman candidate.

Nerve Period

After the meeting Mrs. Thatcher told me she had felt frightully nervous waiting to make her appearance while Mr. Blatch, the chairman, was explaining how the Selection Committee had made their decision. He gave her a terrific build-up and declared: “She will demoralise the Socialists and wipe the floor with the Liberals.” Do you remember a somewhat similar prophecy before the last local elections? What happened? The Liberals won four seats—all from the Conservatives!