Colleague: But Prime Minister the question of the European single currency will come up.

 

Mrs Thatcher¹: I don't think the country is ready for it yet.

 

Colleague: But we cannot bury our heads in the sand...

 

Reporter: A lot of Conservative MP's and Ministers are saying that there must be a change in that style of management. That Mrs Thatcher must listen more, and on occasion, give in.

 

Colleague: The point is, Prime Minister,

I don't think we can sell the idea of a tax that asks everyone to pay the same. 

 

Mrs Thatcher: Our policies may be unpopular, but they are the right policies.

 

Colleague: Prime Minister I just don't think we can ask the poorest of the poor... to pay the same amount of tax as a multi-millionaire.

 

Mrs Thatcher: There it is again! Why not?

 

Colleague: Because - Because people... on the whole... think that the tax is manifestly unfair.

 

Mrs Thatcher: Nonsense. Arrant² nonsense. This is a simple proposition. In order to live in this country, you must pay for the privilege- something, anything! If you pay nothing, you care nothing. What do you care where you throw your rubbish? Your council estate is a mess, your town, graffiti, what do you care? It's not your problem, it's somebody else's problem- it's the government's problem! Your problem... Some of you, is that you haven't got the courage for this fight. You haven't had to fight hard for anything. It's all been given to you- and you feel guilty about it! Well, may I say, on behalf of all those who have had to fight their way up, and who don't feel guilty about it... we resent those slackers who take, take, take...and contribute nothing to the community! And I see the same thing, the same cowardice³... in our fight within the European Union. Cowardice. For the sovereignty of Britain the integrity of the pound! Some of you want to make concessions⁴. I hear some of you... agree with the latest French proposals. Well, why don't you get on a boat to Calais? Yes, why don't you put on a beret, and pay 85% of your income to the French government! Right. What can we realistically hope to achieve by the end of session, Lord President? And why have we not made more progress to date? What is that? Is that the timetable? I haven't seen that. May I see it?

 

Lord President: Here it is, Prime Minister. Of course.

 

Mrs Thatcher: The wording is sloppy⁵ here... and here.

 

Lord President: If you say so.

 

Mrs Thatcher: I do say so.

 

Lord President: It's merely a first draft...

 

Mrs Thatcher: This is ridiculous. There are two "T's" in "committee"! Two "T's". This is shameful⁶. Shameful! I can't even rely on you for a simple timetable! Are you unwell? Yes. You are unwell. Give me the pencil, give it to me! If this is the best you can do I had better send you to hospital, and I shall do your job as well as my own and everyone else's. Gentlemen. As the Lord President has thosen to come to cabinet unprepared... I have to close this meeting. Good morning!

 

 

1. single currency: 单一货币，统一货币，这里指欧元

 

2. bury our heads in the sand: 像鸵鸟一样把头埋进沙子里

 

3. on the whole: 总的看来，基本上

 

On the whole, I'm in favour of the proposal.（总的说来，我赞成这个提议。）

 

4. simple proposition: 简单命题

 

5. slacker: 懒虫，偷懒的人，逃避工作的人

 

6. cowardice: 胆小，卑怯，懦弱

 

His cowardice in face of the enemy was contemptible⁷.（他在敌人面前胆小如鼠，真是可鄙。）

 

7. beret: 贝雷帽

 

8. wording: 措辞，用语

 

He cast his last remark in more formal wording. （他用更正式的措辞表达了最后一句话。）

 

9. sloppy: 马虎的，草率的

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