§ Mr. BOOTHOn a personal matter, I wish to say that the Noble Lord the Member for the Horsham Division of Sussex (Earl Winterton), made a personal remark to me across the floor of the House—[An HON. MEMBER: "Quite right."]—to the effect that I am a company promoter. I have never been, and it is not likely that I ever shall be a company promoter. I ask whether I am to be expected to submit to offensive observations of that kind?
§ Mr. SPEAKERMembers desiring to take their seats will please come to the Table.
382 Mr. E. R. B. DENNISS took his seat as Member for Oldham.
While the hon. Member was signing the roll—
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Lloyd George)On a point of Order. An offensive personal observation has been made across the floor of the House by the Noble Lord opposite (Earl Winterton) to an hon. Member (Mr. Booth) on this side of the House. It was offensive, and I am assured it was untrue. I submit respectfully as a point of Order to you that the hon. Member is entitled to protection of the Chair in these circumstances.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe words I caught as having been used by the Noble Lord were "Go back to your company promoting."
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEAn untruthful, observation and offensive.
§ Mr. SPEAKERIs it offensive?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must, come into court with clean hands. I do not for a moment suggest that in saying he had nothing to do with companies he said anything which was not perfectly true. I accept his statement at once, but I am bound to say that I cannot see that it is necessarily an offensive thing to suggest that the hon. Member is a company promoter.
§ Mr. BOOTHMay I not ask for the question to be decided, on the ground that it is untrue. Whether it is offensive or not it was meant for me. What I insist upon is that it is untrue.
§ Mr. T. M. HEALYBefore you answer may I ask whether there is no Member of the Government present to protect the Chair?
§ Mr. SPEAKERAfter the statement of the hon. Member (Mr. Booth) that he is not connected with any company promoting, I think it would be right if the Noble Lord withdrew his statement.
§ Earl WINTERTONI regret I was misinformed that the hon. Gentleman is a company promoter. I thought it was a profession well adapted to his capabilities. [HON. MEMBERS: "Withdraw."]
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is not the proper way of withdrawing.
§ Earl WINTERTONI was only giving my reason. [HON MEMBERS: "Withdraw."] My reason was that the information had been given to me some days ago that the hon. Gentleman was a company promoter. I regret that I made the statement that he was, and I fully accept his denial. I should have withdrawn the statement before, but I did not know that being a company promoter reflected any discredit.
Sir GILBERT PARKERMay I ask if the remark made twice across the floor of the House by the hon. Member for Pontefract (Mr. Booth) as compensation to himself for the disorderly remark of my Noble Friend, "Winterton, you are a cad," is out of Order?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI did not wish to call public attention to that. These words had reached my ears, and that was why I did not take any action. It also accounts for my having said that those who brought complaints should come with clean hands.
§ Mr. T. M. HEALYIs it in order for an hon. Member, without moving a Motion, to read an extract from a newspaper containing the suggestion that the Speaker of this House is a party politician?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI think I must leave the House to form its own judgment of the incident.
§ Mr. T. M. HEALYI always understood that it was for the Leader of the House when such a reflection was made, just as he has now championed the interests of a private Member, to have at least defended the interests of Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe Clerk will now proceed to read the Orders of the Day.