§ Q3. Mr. William Sheltonasked the Prime Minister if he plans to make an official visit to Streatham.
§ The Prime MinisterI have at present no plans to visit Streatham.
§ Mr. SheltonAs the Prime Minister is no doubt aware, polling is taking place today in the local government elections. Is he aware that a considerable number of Left-wing extremists are standing as official Labour Party candidates and that, as a result, the Labour leader of the council, in a statement to the Press last week, said that he feared the outcome might be
a Marxist dictatorship in the borough"?445 Will the right hon. Gentleman take this opportunity to warn the people of Lambeth?
§ The Prime MinisterI suggest that the hon. Gentleman should go and do some canvassing if he holds views as strongly as that.
§ Mr. HoyleDoes not my right hon. Friend agree that it might be a pleasant surprise for Streatham to have a change in that area, even if it was Marxist?
§ The Prime MinisterI am grateful to my hon. Friend for his assistance, but I make it clear that I do not believe that a Marxist Streatham would be any better than the present Conservative Streatham.
§ Mrs. ThatcherThe Prime Minister himself used to speak to the nation of infiltrators into his own party who used the party for their own ends. Will he, therefore take this opportunity to condemn Marxism wherever it occurs in the Labour Party?
§ The Prime MinisterI know that the right hon. Lady is making some interesting excursions into political philosophy, but she really should begin to learn that China, too, her current hero, is a Marxist State.
§ Mrs. ThatcherWhy is the right hon. Gentleman incapable of giving a straight answer to a straight question on political parties in this country? Will he condemn Marxism wherever it occurs in his party? I condemn it everywhere.
§ The Prime MinisterI am afraid that I regard the right hon. Lady's question as too silly to address myself to.
§ Mr. CanavanReverting to the theme of local elections, would my right hon. Friend care to comment on the Scottish local election results earlier this week, when, contrary to the predictions—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. That is a long way from Streatham. [HON. MEMBERS: "So was China."] Yes, I know that China, too, is a long way from Streatham.
§ Mr. CanavanAs the people of Streatham are voting in their local elections today, would my right hon. Friend care to comment on the Scottish local election 446 result earlier this week, when, contrary to the predictions of the hon. and learned Member for Kinross and West Perthshire (Mr. Fairbairn), the Labour Party secured a significant dual victory by not only thumping the Tories but also hammering another nail into the coffin of the Scottish National Party?