Speeches, etc.

Margaret Thatcher

Speech to Finchley Conservative Women

Document type: Speeches, interviews, etc.
Venue: Conservative Hall, 267 Ballards Lane, Finchley
Source: Finchley Press, 17 March 1961
Editorial comments:
Importance ranking: Minor
Word count: 344
Themes: Conservative Party (organization), Health policy

“Happy” Committee

At a meeting of the Conservative Women's Advisory Committee at Conservative Hall, Ballards Lane, on Thursday, last week, the chairman Cr. Mrs. W. Mackrill, spoke on the successful year the committee had enjoyed during 1960.

Cr. Mrs. Mackrill said that the May election results had fully justified their hard work, and she thanked the officers for their wonderful support throughout the year.

Finchley and Friern Barnet's MP, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, was also present and, in her speech Mrs. Thatcher complimented the group on being such a ‘happy one’, but she said they must be careful to keep the organisation at top pitch.

Mrs. Thatcher urged the committee to continue with the coffee parties so that she might be able to meet the key-workers of every ward, and also to indulge in more political education. ‘Briefing’ is now an essential part of being a Conservative, she said.

Mrs. Thatcher then went on to talk about the new Health Service Bill and to explain it to the committee. She said that one tended to look at the situation without looking at the total bill. The Minister of Health has to give an estimate for the money to be spent in the forthcoming year. This was not as easy as it sounded, as there was always the possibility of an unforseen epidemic or of inevitable wage claims.

In the past nine years the bill has risen to twice the original amount. But the government could not just sit and watch it rise without doing something about it, and economising.

There was a choice of cutting either annual or capital expenditure.

A vote of thanks was offered to Mrs. Thatcher for her explanations, and also to the retiring officers. Some new officers were elected.

Mrs. E. Salmon was re-elected as President, and Cr. Mrs. W. Mackrill as Chairman. The two vice-chairmen are Mrs. Levi of St. Mary's Ward and Mrs. L. Johnson of Friern Barnet South Ward.

Co-option for members to the committee was postponed until after the divisional A.G.M.