HC Deb 22 February 1886 vol 302 cc901-2
BARON HENEY DE WOBMS

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the following is a correct Report of words he uttered at Chelmsford on 7th January 1886:— Do what you will with your Rules of Procedure, you will not have restored the British Parliament, you will not have made the British people master of its own house, until you have devised some scheme or other which will remove the Irish Members from the British House of Commons; and, whether the Right honourable gentleman still adheres to the policy he then advocated?

MR. T. P. O'CONNOE

Before the right hon. Gentleman answers that Question, will he state whether he is aware that the proposal contained in his speech is exactly similar to a proposal made by Mr. Wilfrid Blunt, late Con- servative candidate for North Camberwell?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY)

I was not aware that Mr. Blunt's proposal coincided with the opinion I expressed. The report to which the hon. Member refers appears to be, in substance, correct. The hon. Gentleman asks whether I still adhere to the policy which those words appear to advocate. I think, on the whole, it would be more convenient that the policy to which I adhere should be stated in all its fulness on the proper occasion.