HC Deb 18 November 1948 vol 458 cc565-9
Mr. Churchill

asked the Prime Minister whether he can inform the House of the names of the British representatives to sit on the Committee recently set up by the Governments of the live Brussels Treaty Powers to consider measures for the closer unity of Europe, and, in particular, the proposal to create a Consultative European Assembly without executive power.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee)

Hon. Members will doubtless have seen the announcement of the names in the Press today. They are: The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Lord Inverchapel, Sir Edward Bridges, Professor Wade and Mr. T. H. Gill.

Mr. Churchill

Did the right hon. Gentleman, in coming to this decision, take into consideration the fact that the formation of this Committee arose out of The Hague Conference—[HON. MEMBERS: "No."]—yes, out of The Hague Conference, and that the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster did his utmost to prevent or spoil that Conference and was everywhere regarded as a protagonist against the policy of a united Europe except upon a Socialist basis?

The Prime Minister

I think the right hon. Gentleman is incorrect in two respects. The question of closer unity in Western Europe has been considered, not only by The Hague Conference, but by the Governments concerned, and very practical steps have been taken by this Government in that direction. Secondly, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster had certain views with regard to The Hague Conference, but he was always strong in his support of the idea of Western European collaboration.

Mr. Churchill

Is it not a fact that in his speeches the right hon. Gentleman has said that Western European unity is conditional on its being founded upon a Socialist Party basis?

The Prime Minister

I do not understand that that is the fact at all.

Mr. Churchill

Will the right hon. Gentleman be so good as to read the statements made by the colleague whom he has specially picked out for this task, and see whether he has any right whatever to suggest that the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has not done his very utmost to prevent European unity except on a Socialist Party basis?

The Prime Minister

I disagree with the right hon. Gentleman.

Mr. McAdam

May I ask the Prime Minister if he is aware of the fact that the first suggestion for the federation of European States was made in this House by the hon. Member for North Salford during a Debate on Foreign Affairs in November, 1945?

Mr. Churchill

I think King Henry IV of Navarre was the first. There is one of these names which the Prime Minister read out about which I should like to ask him particularly, and that is the name of Sir Edward Bridges. Is it not rather a serious thing, and rather unfair to the distinguished gentleman in question, to involve the Permanent Head of the Civil Service of this country in controversy and partisan politics and in foreign politics, and did this not produce unfortunate results in the Civil Service in the case of Sir Horace Wilson?

The Prime Minister

The right hon. Gentleman himself has suggested this danger with regard to the position of Sir Edward Bridges. It is really quite normal for Governments to employ civil servants when they have Government representatives going to a conference. I have never heard it suggested previously that, in the case of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Warwick and Leamington (Mr. Eden), if he was attending an international conference and took a civil servant with him, that therefore that civil servant was considered to be a Conservative. It is the right hon. Gentleman's own prejudice.

Mr. Churchill

Is not the right hon. Gentleman overlooking and slurring over the difference between civil servants engaged in Departments who only attend their Ministers, if necessary, in the course of Departmental duties, and involving the Permanent Head of the Civil Service in controversial politics?

The Prime Minister

the phrase "controversial politics" comes entirely from the right hon. Gentleman. It is one of the right hon. Gentleman's curious prejudices that, if there happens to be a Labour Government, that is partisan, but, if there is a Conservative Government or a Government headed by himself, it is not partisan.

Mr. Churchill

When the right hon. Gentleman accuses me of partisanship, does he realise that all the other Governments under the Brussels Treaty and Agreement have sent all-party delegations, in which the most eminent statesmen and former Prime Ministers of those countries have been involved, and that the French, in particular, have sent M. Leon Blum, M. Herriot and other very prominent representatives; and that, in consequence, in choosing a representation of officials acting under instructions, he is putting himself and his party out of step, very much against the views of many of them, with the general movement to build up European unity, and is it not unfair to involve Sir Edward Bridges in a partisan transaction of that character?

The Prime Minister

I have tried to explain to the right hon. Gentleman, in reply to the letter he was good enough to send me, that in the case of France there is a Government composed of many parties. It is not surprising, therefore, that they have representatives of those parties—[An HON. MEMBER: "And outside."] I also pointed out to him, and hon. Members will note this, that four of these members are not Members of Parliament or representatives of the Government directly. It must also be pointed out that there are no representatives of the Chief Opposition parties in France.

Mr. Churchill

Does the right hon. Gentleman mean the Communists?

The Prime Minister

Yes, and General de Gaulle. The chief Opposition parties are not represented; therefore, the right hon. Gentleman is quite wrong in thinking that this is an all-party delegation; it is a delegation representative largely of the Governmental parties in France.

Mr. Churchill

This will have to be a matter of Debate at an early date, and I would ask my right hon. Friend when he deals with Business, to open this matter with the Lord President.

Mr. Ronald Mackay

Is the Prime Minister aware in view of statements which have been made this afternoon, that well-wishers of the European movement, at any rate on this side of the House and outside as well, deplore greatly the way in which certain people are trying to depreciate the delegation which is going from this country? Is he also aware—and I put this point as one who at least led a delegation at The Hague Conference—that this conference taking place now will be represented by a delegation from this country fully equipped to deal with all the practical issues which have to be considered, and that we welcome the appointment of a senior civil servant and we welcome the appointment of an eminent constitutional lawyer? Without in any way making comments on the delegations from the other countries, we at least know that the practical, constitutional and other difficult European problems that have to be considered by this Committee will be dealt with by a delegation thoroughly equipped for the purpose.

Mr. Churchill

The penitent!

The Prime Minister

My hon. Friend is, of course, quite correct, and he realises that the work to be done here deals with practical questions. Therefore, we do not necessarily want to include a large number of orators from different parties.

Mr. Churchill

May I venture to ask the Prime Minister if he will be so charitable, in virtue of the confession of submission which he has heard, as to extend his forgiveness to the hon. Member for North-West Hull (Mr. R. Mackay) for having defied the Socialist caucus in going to The Hague?

Sir Arthur Salter

In view of the choice of chairman, does not the Prime Minister think it is important from an international point of view at present that he should make it clear that it is not the view of the British Government that they consider it should be a condition of entry into any form of Western Union that a free Parliamentary country should choose a Socialist Government?

The Prime Minister

I thought that was perfectly obvious. If the right hon. Gentleman has read, and I am sure he has, the terms of the communiqué, he will see that the remit to this committee is a wide one, to consider all kinds of methods. There is no suggestion that it is tied down to one party.

Mr. Churchill

Under the orders of the Government.