Britain revitalised, says Thatcher

Press, 4 January 1988, Page 6

Britain revitalised, says Thatcher

NZPA-Reuter London The British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, who yesterday became the country’s longest-serv-ing leader this century, said Britain had regained its stature in the world, which was set on a new course of peace and stability.

In an article in the "Sunday Express” newspaper, Mrs Thatcher said Britain had been revitalised during the nine-year rule of her Conservative Party, which was returned to power in a landslide victory in elections last June. “Britain in 1988 is a different country — a country revitalised; a country of rising self-con-fidence; a country which counts for something again,” Mrs Thatcher wrote.

“And with our growing strength as a country comes increasing influence in a world which in turn holds out the promise of greater stability — of peace with security at a much lower level of weaponry.”

She said Britain had gained respect in the international community through “consistency of purpose” and enjoyed influence within the European Community, in Washington, Moscow and in the Middle-East peace process. She called for a resolution of the community’s budgetary problems and said her Government would press on towards the creation of a single, unified European market by 1992. On the domestic front, Mrs Thatcher said the Government was determined to fight against the dangers of inflation and to keep spending in check.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nigel Lawson, predicted a boom year for the British economy despite the traunjas of last year’s financial

markets slump. In an optimistic New Year’s message in the “Sunday Telegraph” newspaper, Mr Lawson said there could be a slowdown in the world economy in 1988 but there was no sign of a recession.

“The British economy today is fundamentally far stronger than it has been for decades. It will not be blown off course by a temporary storm in the financial markets,” Mr Lawson wrote.

“The problems of the American twin Budget and trade deficits have

led to nervousness in the foreign-exchange markets ... but many of the right steps are now being taken,” he said. Mr Lawson applauded United States measures to trim SUS 76 billion ($116.3 billion) from its Budget deficit over two years and West Germany’s efforts to restore its economic momentum. He said the British Government would work to bring inflation below the current level of five per cent and to continue reducing unemployment, nowrat about 9.5 per cent of the workforce.