§ 14. Mr. Cocksasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will call for a report from the British Minister at Athens on the way the new electoral lists are being compiled, in view of the danger that the Liberal Party may refuse to participate in the elections owing to their fear that the electoral lists are becoming a register of the extreme Right.
§ Mr. BevinI explained on 20th August that we want elections held in Greece at the earliest possible date. The revision of the lists is now in progress and if efforts are not relaxed I think there is a good prospect of elections being held in October or November. I have no reason to believe nor evidence to suggest that the lists are being falsified. The law which regulates their revision provides for the establishment of Committees in each district drawn from representatives of the three principal 589 parties, the Populists, Liberals and Communists. These committees will be able to supervise the revision of the lists and to ensure that they are compiled fairly.
§ Mr. CocksIs my right hon. Friend aware that on 12th August the Liberal leader announced that he and his party were not going to take part in the election, because of the way in which the registers were prepared, and that on 15th August the three main parties withdrew from the committee spoken of by the right hon. Gentleman? What is the use of supervising the elections themselves if the registers are cooked? Will he see what can be done?
§ Mr. BevinI am not going to accept the view that the registers are cooked. I do not think that any good purpose is served by casting reflections of this sort, and neither am I going to be influenced by the kaleidoscope changes of the speeches of political leaders.