WORLD IN BRIEF : BRITAIN : Conservatives Open Talks Under Cloud

The Conservative Party of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, whose ratings have plummeted in opinion polls, opened its annual conference in the northern English resort of Blackpool. With Britain’s grim economic situation dominating the meeting, party officials defended their beleaguered finance minister, Nigel Lawson. Party Chairman Kenneth Baker opened the session by supporting Lawson and sought to boost morale with a fierce attack on the opposition Labor Party. Lawson’s popularity tumbled when he decided to follow the lead of West Germany’s Bundesbank and raised interest rates.