Interviewer
Prime Minister, can you tell me first of all about our new Foreign Secretary?
Mrs. Thatcher
Yes, I have appointed Francis Pym, he was leader of the House, before that he was Secretary of State for Defence, and in Edward HeathTed's government he was part of the time Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. So he's quite a lot of experience and he's known internationally. He's a man of very considerable stature and I've every confidence in the way in which he will tackle this very important task.
Interviewer
How much of a loss was Lord Carrington to you?
Mrs. Thatcher
A very very great loss indeed. I can't over-estimate the loss Lord Carringtonhe is to Britain. I tried a long time to dissuade him from resigning because I think he would be marvellous to continue with and in the future, but he felt, and I could understand this, that the policy of his department had failed with the invasion of the Falklands and that a man of honour would resign, he felt that extremely strongly and that really was the one ground on which I couldn't refuse to accept his resignation. He is a loss, a great loss.
Interviewer
Do you think nevertheless he should have stayed in your hour of need when you most needed a man of his experience?
Mrs. Thatcher
I think he felt his personal honour very strongly and he also felt that it was important for the whole political scene to have honour in politics and that you know also matters very much indeed, so there were two things, one on one side that he wanted to stay and felt and knew that the government needed him but on the other, the honour, and it is important that we have honour in politics, I just hope that one day he'll return to public life again. [end p1]
Interviewer
If you can't retain the support of the House, if you cannot retain the sovereignty of the Falkland islands, do you feel the honourable thing to do will be to resign?
Mrs. Thatcher
I feel we have the support of the House, the whole support, in doing what we have to do in dispatching a very large fleet and now is the time to show all our support and I can assure you Lord Carrington will show us his support and Humphrey Atkins and Richard Luce, for the course of action that is now being taken to re-establish sovereignty over those islands, we still regard them as British, the sovereignty doesn't change just because someone has invaded them and also to make it clear that we still … . they are still British and to go back there and to regain them.
Interviewer
Is a negotiated settlement still possible do you think? It's becoming more difficult all the time isn't it?
Mrs. Thatcher
We shall carry on, but don't forget that we've been negotiating diplomatically, we for three years, and previous governments for many years, for many years diplomatic initiatives have succeeded and then came the time when all of a sudden this Leopoldo Galtieridictator invaded and I felt just exactly the same as everyone else did when I saw those troops pour into our islands, and our people.
Interviewer
So you're saying to the British people really we should be prepared to go to war, I know you don't like the expression ‘go to war’, but we're sending an enormous fleet aren't we …?
Mrs. Thatcher
I believe the British people are fully behind us in retaking those islands and sending the biggest fleet that's ever been mounted in peace time, with the most marvellous professionally trained brave courageous soldiers and marines in order to re-establish British sovereignty on those islands and to see that the islanders once again live under British rule. [end p2]
Interviewer
Just as a final question, modern war is a very destructive business, do you think you'll retain that kind of support in the country if people start dying in large numbers, because that's really what we're confronting?
Mrs. Thatcher
The test is not how many people are with you when you start out, but the test of resolve is whether you can stick to it, until the task be well and truly finished. I shall keep my resolve, the government will keep its resolve, I believe Parliament will keep its resolve and I believe the British people will stick to that resolve firmly.
Interviewer
Thank you very much.