HC Deb 15 November 1928 vol 222 cc1090-1
Mr. BATEY

I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House in order to call attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the action of the President of the Board of Education in taking away and refusing to restore the teaching certificate of John Towers, schoolmaster, of Headley Hill, who has suffered two years of unemployment for simply caning two boys in 1926 — [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh!"] — and, further, to the fact that the Minister has adopted an attitude of supercilious snobbery in regard to this matter.

Mr. SPEAKER

I cannot consider a Motion framed in language of that kind.

Mr. BATEY

Is there no redress, then, for Members of this House when a Minister adopts an attitude such as the President of the Board of Education has adopted in this case?

Mr. SPEAKER

There is always redress for Members if they behave themselves properly.

Mr. KIRKWOOD

The Minister ought to show a. good example.

Mr. SULLIVAN

In view of the attitude taken up by the Minister in this case, which is really an insult to the House, and his refusal to give information, I would ask you if this Motion cannot be accepted?

Lieut.-Commander KENIWORTHY

On a point of Order, Sir. Did I understand you to say that only the last part of the Motion suggested by my hon. Friend the Member for Spennymoor (Mr. Batey) was improper, and that if that were left out, the other part could stand?

Mr. SPEAKER

I only said that I would not give any consideration to a Motion which was framed in that kind of language.

Mr. MACKINDER

On a point of Order. Has that language, by precedent or in any other way, been considered un-Parliamentary?

Mr. BUCHANAN

If the language of the hon. Member is true, why object to it?

Mr. SPEAKER

This does not appear to be a case where any kind of precedent is necessary.

Mr. MACKINDER

May I press this point. Can language by any stretch of the imagination be called un-Parliamentary which is neither an oath nor deliberately insulting, and is perfectly true?

Mr. SPEAKER

The hon. Member must leave it to me to be the judge.

Mr. BATEY

For guidance, may I ask: am I to understand from what you have said that if I left out the latter part of this Motion, you would be prepared to accept it?

Mr. SPEAKER

I have said nothing of the kind. I have refused to consider the Motion at all.

Mr. SHINWELL

Can you suggest an adequate description for the right hon. Gentleman's attitude?