48. Mr. MALONEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for what reason His Majesty's Government waited until the Public Assemblies Bill had been passed by the Egyptian Assembly before addressing the ultimatum to the Egyptian Government?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir Austen Chamberlain)What the hon. Member describes as an ultimatum was not addressed to the Egyptian Government until all friendly representations had failed. Such representations had been made to the late Prime Minister, and it was hoped that the Assemblies Bill would be amended by Parliament on the lines strongly urged there by the representative of the competent department of the Egyptian Government. Subsequently every effort was made to persuade the present Prime Minister to secure the Bill's amendment, before it finally passed the Senate, and it was only when it became clear that he refused to do so, that His Majesty's Government, on 30th April, addressed their final warning to the Egyptian Government.