Mr Major’s Doorstep Interview in Grampian – 10 September 1991

Below is Mr Major’s doorstep interview in Grampian on Tuesday 10th September 1991. The opening question was not recorded.

PRIME MINISTER:

I can’t comment in any detail about them, no. I have had a very general briefing about them. I have asked the Home Secretary for a detailed briefing about them. I understand they arose from an incident that occurred the night before; that seems to be the original impression that has been gained. I have asked for a full report but I don’t yet have it, I’m afraid.

QUESTION:

Is it a concern that there seems to be a succession of a series of these incidents?

PRIME MINISTER:

There has been a small run of these incidents; that does occasionally happen and they all seem to have a different genesis and whatever the genesis may be, they are not acceptable. They are not the way for people to behave and there is no need for them, but I think I had better have further facts about them before I comment further. One often gets this copycat effect; it happens in one area and then you get this mini-riot and people feel it is acceptable to behave in that way elsewhere. It isn’t acceptable to behave in that way and they must recognise it; the public don’t want it; the police don’t want it; and it is just not an acceptable way for people to behave. If they have problems and they have concerns, there are other ways of doing it and not the way we have seen once or twice recently, but they do seem to have a separate cause in each incident.