§ Mr. LANSBURYI beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely:
the imposition by His Majesty's Government of an embargo on Russian imports into this country to operate as from tomorrow morning.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI am sure that the right hon. Gentleman will see that Standing Order No. 10 cannot apply to a Motion of this kind. The embargo is due to an Act of Parliament put into execution by the Government after definite action which the House has approved.
§ Mr. LANSBURYDo I understand that by that Act of Parliament all control of the Government's action in respect of that Act is removed from the House?
§ Mr. SPEAKERNo, the right hon. Gentleman must not understand that at all. It means that it cannot be discussed under Standing Order No. 10 on a Motion to move the Adjournment of the House on a definite matter of urgent public importance.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIf your Ruling be correct, it means that His Majesty's Government can withhold and prevent any discussion by this House on this subject at all until they choose, and I suggest that on a matter of such genuine urgent public importance to tens of thousands of our citizens this House has a right to choose when it shall discuss it.
§ Mr. SPEAKERNo doubt the House has a perfect right to choose when it may discuss some particular Motion. All that I ruled was that this case could not come under that particular Standing Order.