§ 45. Lieut.-Colonel Sir Thomas Mooreasked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement in regard to the proposed date of the General Election.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee)The hon. and gallant Member will no doubt have seen the statement which was issued on this matter last week. I have nothing to add to it.
§ Sir T. MooreSurely the Prime Minister realises, as was recently stressed by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition, that the country wants and needs an immediate change of Government, which can only be secured by a General Election?
§ Mr. H. StraussCould the right hon. Gentleman say whether he desires the public to believe or to disbelieve the statements publicly made on this subject by the Minister of Health?
§ Mr. DribergMay I ask my right hon. Friend if he will do his best to have the General Election at a time when Lord Beaverbrook is in this country and making his usual vigorous contribution to Tory policy?
§ Mr. HoggIs not the whole trouble that the Government are suffering from "giant snail" and their policy from "swollen shoot"?
§ Mr. AustinIs there any truth in the report that the Prime Minister is waiting for the Opposition to formulate a policy based on something more substantial than gas and geysers?
§ Mr. GallacherI should like to ask the Prime Minister a very serious question. In view of the forecast of a very early Election by the Minister of Health, can we take it that the Foreign Secretary came back with orders from Wall Street to postpone the Election?
§ The Prime MinisterI am afraid the hon. Member is trying to draw a parallel with orders given by another Power to other countries—a parallel which does not exist in relations between this country and its allies.