§ MR. INCE (Islington, E.)I beg to ask the Prime Minister a Question of which I have given him private Notice, Whether he is aware that statements have been made to the effect that, by his speech on the Motion of the right hon. Member for West Bristol (Sir Michael Hicks-Beach) on Friday last, he intended to withdraw from or vary the position taken up by the Government at the meeting at the Foreign Office on the previous day; and whether there is any truth in such statement?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE) (Edinburgh, Mid Lothian)I became aware from the newspapers this morning that such a statement had been made, otherwise I should have been rather slow to believe it. I have, in consequence, spent a little time in examining the reports—which I believe are accurate—of the speech I made on Thursday and of the speech on Friday. I abide by both of those speeches, and I am not aware of any discrepancy between them. There is, therefore, no proof whatever of any such variation as that alluded to by the hon. and learned Gentleman.