§ 7. Mr. Shinwellasked the Minister of Information whether he will explain why quotations from a speech by the president of the Amalgamated Engineering Union, and also passages from a book entitled "Tory, M.P.," which appeared in a news service issued to the Empire by General News Service, were deleted, particularly in view of the fact that the same issue contained a quotation from a speech of his, praising the virtue of free speech?
Mr. CooperI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given yesterday, 11th June, to the hon. Baronet the Member for Barnstaple (Sir R. Acland).
§ Mr. ShinwellIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the answer does not deal with the point at all, and will he say why criticism of the late Government was censored, particularly in view of the fact that the right hon. Gentleman owes his position to criticism of that Government?
Mr. CooperCriticism of the efforts that we are making in the war at the present time which is likely to encourage our opponents and discourage our friends should, in my opinion, be censored, and that one was rightly censored.
§ Mr. ShinwellWhy was a reference to the late Government as being partly responsible for a lack of equipment a matter for censorship, and why should reference to the book "Tory M.P." come under the censorship?
Mr. CooperI am not going to repeat the words that were censored and give them just that publicity which those who used them no doubt desired that they should have; but, in my opinion and in the opinion of my advisers, with which I entirely agree, those words were calculated to discourage our friends throughout the world and to encourage our enemies.
§ Mr. ShinwellOn a point of Order. In view of the highly unsatisfactory nature of the reply I beg to give notice that I will raise the matter at the first opportunity.