§ 49. Mr. Tinkerasked the Prime Minister if he is aware that there is doubt about the position of Members of Parliament who are given permission to visit the war fronts overseas in regard to their rights of addressing the troops; and will he make a statement on the procedure to which Members are expected to conform.
§ The Prime MinisterI hardly think it necessary for me to suggest how Members of Parliament should comport themselves. I should suppose that a visiting Member of Parliament would only address troops on authorised occasions, and when doing so that he would refrain from taking advantage of the opportunity to further purely party interests or to express contentious views likely to introduce an element of discord among men who are fighting under military discipline, and perhaps likely to be engaged at short notice with the enemy.
§ Mr. TinkerMay I thank the right hon. Gentleman, because I quite agree with what he has said? I wanted the position cleared up because it has been said that Members of Parliament were not allowed 227 to address troops unless they first submitted the manuscript of what they wanted to say.
Mr. BellenģerAs I presume that the Prime Minister has not answered a hypothetical Question, can he say whether permission is now being given to Members of this honourable House to visit the Western Front?
§ The Prime MinisterI should have thought that the hon. Gentleman had no need to ask that question.
§ The Prime MinisterYes, but I know of no reason why facilities given in the past should not steadily broaden out.
§ Mr. McGovernI take it that any Members of Parliament getting through the Home Office sieve, and getting near enough to the troops, will be allowed to address them so long as they praise the present order, and do not talk about a new order?