President of France (Hansard, 12 May 1981)

§ Q1. Mr. Renton
asked the Prime Minister when she next plans to meet the President of France.

§ The Prime Minister (Mrs Margaret Thatcher)
I expect to meet the President of France next at the European Council on 29 and 30 June.

§ Mr. Renton
Does my right hon. Friend recall the French proverb "À nouveaux seigneurs nouvelles lois"?[Interruption]

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. We must all understand what is being said. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will translate.

§ Mr. Renton
With pleasure, Mr. Speaker. It means "New brooms sweep clean." To what extent does my right 613 hon. Friend think that the advent of M. Mitterrand may sweep away some of the procrustean obstacles to change and enable us to start on the vital task of reforming the EEC budget system whilst Britain holds the Presidency of the Community?

§ The Prime Minister
It is not for me to adjudge between the personalities of the people that France chooses to lead her. The problems are difficult but they remain the same. The reform of the common agricultural policy and the budget structure are vital issues which we must undertake to tackle this year and seek, at any rate, a preliminary solution by the end of the year. Britain will go ahead determined to seek those solutions.

§ Mr. Foot
May I thank the Prime Minister for the speed and generosity with which she sent her congratulations to President Mitterrand on his great victory for Socialism? Does she agree that one element in that victory was the recognition by the people of France that there is a real alternative to the defeatist policy of accepting mass unemployment? Does she agree that the elections nearer home show exactly the same spirit rising in Britain?

§ The Prime Minister
Of course I send congratulations to anyone elected by the democratic system, in which I wholly believe. That reminds me that I have not sent congratulations to Berlin, where Socialism was defeated.

§ Mr. Foot
Following the arrangements that the right hon. Lady has just announced, may I ask whether she has sent congratulations to the hundreds of successful Labour candidates in the election last week? If she is sending congratulations, will she spread them properly around the country?

§ The Prime Minister
The answer is "No". Not even the right hon. Gentleman would wish me to send congratulations to everyone. I notice that in relation to the GLC Mr. McIntosh, who was a moderate Labour victor, said: The danger to the Labour Party today is so great that I have decided I must expose what is going on. It's gang warfare, just like the Jets and the Sharks.

§ Mr. McQuarrie
When my right hon. Friend meets the new President of France, will she impress on him the urgent need for the early completion of the common fisheries policy within the European Community?

§ The Prime Minister
Most certainly. Chancellor Schmidt and I are firmly agreed on the need for a common fisheries policy and on the need to achieve one shortly which is satisfactory to all members of the Community.