Opponents fear return of death penalty in Britain

British opponents of the death penalty are hastily preparing a new battle to prevent its reinstatement. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's landslide election victory has brought into Parliament a contingent of new Conservative members who are young, ambitious, and well to the right of the political center. According to a survey by the Sunday Times newspaper, they could provide the votes to restore capital punishment abolished 18 years ago.

Mrs. Thatcher herself advocates hanging, but Leon Brittan, named as home secretary in Mrs. Thatcher's new Cabinet, is against the death penalty.