Thatcher wanted to raid European ‘butter mountain’ to keep stockpiles

Margaret Thatcher wanted to raid the European “butter mountain” and other food stockpiles to make good a shortfall in Britain’s emergency reserves, according to newly-released official files.

Government papers released by the National Archives show that, shortly after her election in 1979, she was warned by agriculture minister Peter Walker that the previous Labour government had allowed stockpiles for use in war or civil emergency to be depleted.

“Unfortunately the previous government raided this lar- 0 Margaret Thatcher was keen to use European food reserves

der and did not replenish it,” he informed her, adding that the cost of restoring it would be about £14 million.

Mrs Thatcher, however, believed a more cost effective solution lay in the Euro- pean Economic Community’s famous food stockpiles accumulated under the common agricultural policy to maintain farm prices.

“I understand that there are large butter mountains, sugar surpluses and beef stocks in Europe. Who do they belong to?” she wrote.

“As most of the finance for them comes from us can we not claim title to some of it. Alternatively does the existence of this source of supply not reduce the need for us to stockpile.”

Mr Walker, however, was doubtful, replying: “The only large intervention stock at present in the UK is of butter.”