PERSONAL EXPLANATION (Hansard, 11 December 1947)

§ Mr. McEntee
I wish to inform you, Mr. Speaker, and through you, the House, that in Division No. 46 last night I inadvertently voted twice. Having gone out into the Lobby, I returned and found that some hon. Members were raising a point of Order with you. There was considerable confusion in the House 1205 at the time, and, having inquired whether the vote was being taken a second time, I found some hon. Members assumed that it was to be taken a second time, while others were doubtful, and to make sure I voted again. I informed the Clerks that I had been through the Division Lobby before, and they marked my name off. But I have heard since that the Tellers in the Lobby counted me twice, although I was not twice mentioned in the Division List. Please accept my apologies.

§ Mr. Speaker
I think the House will understand the hon. Member's explanation, and I can assure him that he will not be recorded as having voted twice. The necessary amendment will be made in the Journal.

§ Mr. Speaker
Perhaps now, having said that, I may make a short statement about the events to which the hon. Member referred, which he said caused him to go into the Lobby and vote twice, because there was so much confusion. I admit there was a certain amount of confusion. I would not like it to be thought that in anything I did I had been unfair or hasty, and while I know one cannot challenge the Speaker's Ruling—he makes no mistakes—I would like fully to admit that I think I was unfair to the hon. Member for Bilston (Mr. Nally) last night. The impression that may be derived from the newspapers this morning is that he was challenging a Speaker's Ruling. Whether that Ruling was correct or not, I think it was due to general misunderstanding between him and myself, and I want to make it perfectly clear that he made it clear at the time that he was not challenging any Ruling of mine. Therefore I think it may be unfair on him if it went out in this morning's Press that he had challenged the Speaker's Ruling, which he did not do. As to whether I was hasty or not, perhaps I was; anyhow, it was a 1206 difficult situation, and I think the House was really rather on edge. Perhaps, therefore, I was hasty. If so, I made a mistake, and I hope it is one of few—[HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."] Anyhow, I do not want to be unfair to any hon. Member, on whatever side of the House he sits, and if the hon. Member for Bilston thinks I have done him damage by what I said, or did, last night, I regret it, and I hope this will make it perfectly plain.

§ Mr. Nally
May I, Mr. Speaker, express my deep gratitude for and sincere appreciation of the statement which you have just made, and say that its kindness and its comprehensiveness are far too generous, and more than ample compensation for any distress which I might have felt last night?

§ Mr. Bowles
It has been ruled on various occasions that an hon. Member cannot raise a point of Order after a Division has been called unless he is properly covered; in other words, that a handkerchief or an Order Paper is not allowed. Will you, Mr. Speaker, consider altering that Rule so that an hon. Member may raise a point of Order, after a Division has been called, covered in some other way than by a hat?

§ Mr. Speaker
The hon. Member did cover himself with a hat, perfectly correctly. I confess that I dislike it if an hon. Member tries to cover himself with an Order Paper or something of that kind. As to whether we should alter our Rule or not, I rather think it is getting a little out of date, but some distinction needs to be made, because if an hon. Member stands up when hon. Members are walking out and proceeding to the Division Lobbies, it does not indicate to the Speaker that that Member is raising a point of Order. It might be a matter for hon. Members to consider. So far as I am concerned, I think it might we well worth while if we had a little alteration of our Rules, without destroying, so to speak, the historical connection with the past.