HC Deb 21 July 1949 vol 467 cc1546-7
45. Brigadier Thorp

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will ensure that the Grace Darling Memorial Tree in Battersea Park is in no way damaged by the holding of the fun fair there in connection with the Festival of Britain.

The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Herbert Morrison)

Yes, Sir. Neither the Grace Darling Memorial Tree nor any other tree in Battersea Park will be interfered with by the siting there of the Festival Gardens in 1951. The fun fair will form only part of the Gardens. In this connection I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 7th July to the hon. Member for Bedford (Mr. Skeffington-Lodge).

Mr. Martin Lindsay

Does that reply mean that the Government are still going on with this scandalous piece of extravagance, costing about £750,000?

Mr. Morrison

That abusive supplementary question has nothing whatever to do with the Question on the Order Paper, which asked about a tree.

Mr. Gallacher

If the tree should be destroyed would the right hon. Gentleman replace it with a statue of Grace Darling's famous descendant—the hon. Member for South Edinburgh (Sir W. Darling.)

Sir William Darling

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that Grace Darling died a spinster?

Mr. Godfrey Nicholson

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the presence of my hon. Friend the Member for South Edinburgh (Sir W. Darling) in Battersea Park would be a fun fair in itself?

Brigadier Thorp

Is it in Order for the hon. Member for West Fife (Mr. Gallacher) to slander Grace Darling?

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