§ 43. Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the increase of murder, arson and looting in Ireland, and having regard to the fact that it has been shown that the use of force by the Government only leads to further murders and other violence, he will consider the advisability of holding a conference with the elected representatives of the Irish people, in order that their assistance and co-operation may be enlisted in securing the reign of law and order.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have repeatedly expressed my readiness to confer on the problem of Irish Government with any person or body of persons who can legitimately claim a right to speak on behalf of the Irish people.
§ Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKWill the right hon. Gentleman refrain from making declaration that everybody knows are fatal to any conference?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI do not know the particular declaration to which the Noble Lord refers. If he means the 1996 declaration that we cannot assent to an Irish republic I canot possibly withdraw that.
§ Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKMight I remind the right hon. Gentleman that the Irish leaders have lately made an announcement that they are willing to accept terms which this country could give and which are not in the least inconsistent with either the unity or the safety of this Empire or the supremacy of the Crown?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have always stated that I should be perfectly ready to confer with the responsible Irish leaders upon that basis. It is no fault of ours that a conference has not taken place.
§ Mr. CLYNESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that all the responsible leaders of Irish opinion have been put in prison?
§ Mr. SWANWould not the chosen representatives of the Irish people be the proper persons with whom to negotiate a settlement?
§ The PRIME MINISTERCertainly, and I stated so in the statement which I made in the House before separating. We should be perfectly willing to give every facility for the elected representatives of the Irish people to meet in order to make any proposals to the Government, or to arrange a deputation to meet the Government, and again it is no fault of ours that that has not been done.
§ Mr. T. GRIFFITHSDid not the right hon. Gentleman impose the condition that the Irish should lay down their arms?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo. That was in reference to the question of a truce. In the matter of a truce we regard the laying down of arms as essential. It is a totally different matter when it is a question of conferring with the elected representatives of the Irish people who have been elected to this House by constitutional means at the last General Election.
§ Mr. DEVLINAre we to understand that there has been an offer that the representatives of the people, all of them unreservedly, are to be permitted to meet for the purpose of considering any proposals and that they and the representa- 1997 tives of the Government should meet together for the purpose of endeavouring to bring about a settlement of the Irish Question?
§ The PRIME MINISTERMy hon. Friend knows the statement which I made in that respect. There are certain people, whose names I have promised to give, whom we cannot allow to meet. They are suspected on good grounds of having taken part directly in murder. We could not possibly assent to their meeting. There is no distinction between Irish Members and any other Members in this respect. Any Member reasonably suspected of crime of that character would be liable to arrest. With the exception of those men—and they are very few—we would certainly give every facility for their meeting.
§ Mr. DEVLINWere any reservations of this character made when the representatives of the British Government met the representatives of the Boers in South Africa? Could not some of the things done by these representatives be described as the right hon. Gentleman has described some of the things done in Ireland? And is there any possibility of a conference ever taking place if the right hon. Gentleman insists upon getting men to admit that they are murderers when they are not?
§ The PRIME MINISTERReally it is an insult to the Government of South Africa to suggest that there is any comparison between men who fought openly in the field and men who patrol the streets as civilians under the protection of the law and turn round and shoot their guardians.
§ Mr. DEVLINrose—
§ Mr. SPEAKERMr. Pennefather [who asked Question No. 44, col. 2006].