§ Mr. EdenMay I ask the Leader of the House or the Foreign Secretary, whoever likes to reply, whether I am right in 34 thinking that the Government, who said they would make a statement on Persia on Friday and then postponed it till today, would rather not make a statement at the present time? I understand that to be the Government's position. If so, we are, naturally, prepared to fall in with it in view of the delicate state of the negotiations in Teheran at the present time.
At the same time, may I ask the Prime Minister or the Leader of the House to bear in mind that if we try to help, as we have done, throughout the Persian, affair in this way we deeply resent statements like that of the Foreign Secretary, that we are playing a vigorous party game in this business? Will the Prime Minister also bear in mind that when the Foreign Secretary says that this began since the days of Ernest Bevin, the only time Ernest Bevin complained of being stabbed in the back it was from those benches and not from these?
§ Mr. Herbert MorrisonOn the first point, it is undesirable that I should make any statement today in view of the delicacy of the situation. I will make one-as soon as I can, when the public interest permits. With regard to the other points, I made reference on Saturday to the attitude of a considerable number of Conservative back benchers. While, in the circumstances, I think it inappropriate to pursue the matter today, I am bound to say that I think those observations were justified.
§ Mr. ChurchillDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that any irritation which was expressed on these benches was due not to large questions of policy but to his extraordinarily clumsy and buttered-fingered manner of handling the difficult matters with which he is entrusted? Might I also ask him if he will in future remember that any compliments from him are much more offensive and objectionable than the insults which he so freely flings at his political opponents?