Members of Parliament pay rise too big

-M.P.

Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, Member of Parliament speaking at a Coffee Morning and Bring & Buy Sale organised by the Whetstone Ward Conservative Ladies Committee in aid of Association funds at the home of the Chairman Mrs. Doris Lowry, High Road, Whetstone, said that she was not in agreement with the pay rises for Members of Parliament. £3,250 was far too much. It would have been better to leave salaries the same: what would have been more desirable was reimbursement to Members of Parliament for the work of secretaries, for stationery, postage, etc. Expenses were variable in different constituencies.

“I am sick at heart” continued Mrs. Thatcher “at the irreparable damage to our prestige abroad since the Labour Government came to power.” In the first 30 days they had already alienated our trading friends. All the things predicted were happening faster than feared.

She was grieved at the arms embargo on South Africa which would have far reaching adverse effects. What we needed was a renewal of confidence. Mrs. Thatcher forecast rapidly increasing prices. All the Labour Government had done about an already acute financial situation was to aggravate it.