§ Mr. MUNROThe hon. Member for the Bridgeton Division of Glasgow (Mr. MacCallum Scott) has requested me to read a brief statement to the House with regard to the untoward incident of yesterday, and with your permission and the permission of the House, I shall do so. The statement is as follows:—
I own that I was wrung in not accepting Mr. Speaker's decision yesterday. I deeply regret that in my keen desire not to be identified with a personal attack on Sir George Roos Keppel. I committed an act of disrespect to the House and of disobedience to Mr. Speaker, for whom I have, and always have had, a most sincere regard. I, therefore, venture to hope that Mr. Speaker and the Members of the House will accept the unreserved apology which I hereby tender for an unpremeditated act, which I most profoundly regret.May I just add that I hope the House will regard the hon. Member as having 3204 taken a step in the right direction, and that in any subsequent proceedings the fact that he has given an early, and I venture to add, an ample apology, will be remembered in his favour.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI suppose that I may on behalf of the House, as I know I can for myself, accept at once the very full and frank apology which comes from the hon. Member for the Bridgeton Division of Glasgow, and, if I rightly interpret the sense of the House, I am quite certain that on the first day we meet again after the Recess any claim for readmission to the Chamber will be most favourably considered.
§ The PRIME MINISTERIf I may venture to say so, as it fell to my lot in support of the authority of the Chair to move the Motion for the suspension of the hon. Member, after what we have heard to-day I shall be glad at the earliest opportunity to move to rescind that Motion.