§ 29. Mr. Piratinasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will state, in connection with the burning of the village of Batang Kali, North Malaya, by British troops on 2nd November, how many houses were burned; how many people were rendered homeless; what aid was rendered to the inhabitants; and why was this measure taken.
Mr. Creech JonesI have asked the High Commissioner for a report upon these allegations, and I will write to the hon. Member when it is received.
§ Mr. PiratinWhile awaiting the report from the High Commissioner, would the Secretary of State look into the question whether British troops, under the supervision of British officers, took part in looting after they had turned people out of their houses on this occasion?
§ Major BeamishWould it be accurate to say, in reply to the last part of the hon. Member's supplementary, that these actions were taken, if they were taken, in order to combat the activities of Communist murderers who are given active encouragement by the hon. Gentleman the Member for Mile End (Mr. Piratin)?
§ Mr. GallacherOn a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. Am I to take it that it is permissible in this House to make any kind of accusation or any kind of slander against Communists? Am I to take it that that is the position?
Mr. SpeakerI think that any allegation against Communists could be made by any hon. Member. But an allegation against an individual Member to the effect that he was apparently encouraging murder, is one which I do not like. I do not think that ought to be said about a Member of Parliament.
§ Major BeamishFurther to that point of Order. I am a regular reader of the "Daily Worker," the organ of the Communist Party, and the whole House will agree with me that the "Daily Worker" and the Communist Party in this country have given active encouragement to the Communist murderers in Malaya.
Mr. SpeakerSpeaking of the Communist Party, it can be alleged that they give active support to murderers, and so on. That is an allegation. But to say that a Member of this House is giving active support is, I think, going outside what we ought to say.
§ Mr. ThurtleIs it not a fact that the hon. Member for West Fife (Mr. Gallacher) called one of my colleagues a dirty blackguard last week and that he refused to withdraw?
§ Mr. GallacherI raised the present point of Order because of that. I must admit that on that occasion I was taken off my guard. But it has become such a common practice that it appears that anyone can make any accusation or any slander against me or against my colleague or those with whom we are associated. I think that that is very undesirable.
§ Major BeamishI will gladly withdraw my remarks if the hon. Member for Mile End will tell the House that he denies that he does give his active support to these murderers in Malaya.
Mr. SpeakerI did not ask the hon. and gallant Member to withdraw. I merely gave my opinion. I hate conditional withdrawals. I think we had better get on to the next Question.