Mrs Thatcher likly to visit Edinburgh

Press, 25 July 1986, Page 4

Mrs Thatcher likly to visit Edinburgh

NZPA-PA London The Commonwealth Games Federation yesterday rejected a call from Edinburgh’s Labour-con-trolled council to with/ draw an invitation to the Prime Minister, Mrs Thatcher, to visit the Games on August 1. Labour and Alliance councillors joined forces, in spite of fierce Conservative criticism, to call' for the invitation to be withdrawn and to attack the Government for its stance on sanctions against South Africa. But later a Federation spokesman, the Games’ ruling body, said, “It is a constitutional requirement of the federation that the head of the Government of the host country is invited to the Games. “That invitation was sent in February and has been accepted and we believe that Mrs Thatcher will arrive as an invited guest on August 1.” At the council meeting, Labour and Alliance councillors accused Mrs

Thatcher of wrecking the Games single-handed by her stand on sanctions. A Liberal, Mr Donald Gorrie, : said, "Mrs Thatcher ,1s like a golfer who decides she individually will play all 18 holes backwards. Then she is amazed when some of the bruised golfers are angry at being hit by her golf bail.”

Mr Mark Lazarowicz, the council’s Labour leader, said it would be “inappropriate and hypocritical’’ for Mrs Thatcher to be treated as an honoured guest and “arrogant” for her to expect a welcome. “We don’t want to have in our city a woman whose support for (South African President) Botha ' means that she, like President Reagan, has the blood of suffering people ' on her hands — stay away from the Games,” ‘ he said. But the council’s minority Conservatives attacked the move as "pathetic, arrogant and contemptible.”