Brittan apologises over letter

Press, 15 January 1986, Page 6

Brittan apologises over letter

NZPA-Reiiter London The British Prime Minis-: ter, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, was yesterday in a new row over the -Westland helicopter company as rival'industrial groups increased their efforts to buy into the troubled firm. _•

Mrs Thatcher yesterday saw the Secretary , for Trade, Mr Leon Brittan, struggle to counter Opposition accusations that he deliberately misled Parliament in a statement about Westland.

Amid jeers and calls for his resignation, Mr Brittan

apologised to members in case he had misled them by appearing to deny the existence of a letter to Mrs Thatcher from the chairman of British Aerospace. He said he had been told about the letter shortly before his earlier address to the House but had been concerned to protect its confidentiality. The latest political developments overshadowed a day of intense financial activity by the rival European and United States-led groups trying to buy a minority stake in Westland,

Britain’s only helicopter manufacturer.

Westland directors postponed until Friday a shareholders’ meeting scheduled for yesterday to decide the company’s future. The company’s board favours the offer from the United States helicopter firm, Sikorsky, and the Italian car manufacturer, Fiat, but the package needs the support of 75 per cent of shareholders for approval. An anonymous buyer this week spent almost £7 million (S2OM) acquiring a 9 per cent stake in the com-

pany. Financial sources said he was a supporter of the Sikorsky : Fiat deal.

Mr Heseltine, who has been campaigning for the rival consortium of five European companies, re-

signed last week and accused Mrs Thatcher of frying to gag him. He has since widened his criticism to a general attack on her style of Government. An opinion poll showed the row had damaged Mrs Thatcher’s standing just as the Government appeared to be overcoming a midterm popularity slump.