HC Deb 20 May 1895 vol 33 cc1591-2
MR. D. NAOROJI (Finsbury, Central)

I beg to ask the Postmaster General, whether Post Office servants are debarred from taking an acting part in political elections, such, for instance, as speaking in support of candidates, and standing on their local political committees or councils?

MR. ARNOLD MORLEY

The case is as the hon. Member's question implies. The words of the rule are as follows:— 1. That no Postmaster or other servant of the Department shall serve on a Committee having for its object to promote or prevent the return of a particular Candidate to Parliament. 2. That he shall not support or oppose any particular Candidate or party either by public speaking or writing. I hold it to be of the highest importance that Postmasters and all other Post Office servants should maintain a certain reserve in political matters, and not put themselves prominently forward on one side or the other; that they should, in fact, carefully avoid doing anything that may lend colour to the suggestion that in the discharge of their official duties they are influenced by political or party motives. In practice, the rule I have quoted applies not to the Post Office alone but to the whole of the Civil Service of the Crown.

SIR JAMES FERGUSSON (Manchester, N. E.)

asked whether the rule applied to the sub-postmasters?

MR. ARNOLD MORLEY

Yes, Sir; a sub-postmaster is in the service of the Post Office.

MR. J. H. DALZIEL (Kirkcaldy Burghs)

asked whether the rule would prevent a postman asking a question privately with regard to the service?

MR. ARNOLD MORLEY

Oh no, Sir! It would not affect a question of that kind.