HC Deb 13 May 1953 vol 515 cc1243-5
47. Mr. Fenner Brockway

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what grounds Mr. Peter Evans, a London barrister, has been ordered to leave Kenya.

Mr. Hopkinson

Mr. Evans has been required to leave Kenya, firstly, because he contravened the condition of his visitor's pass by practising his profession in Kenya, and secondly, because he has been deemed an undesirable immigrant.

Mr. Fenner Brockway

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that Mr. Peter Evans was informed yesterday by the immigration authorities that he has not been guilty of this contravention since he was paid no fee for his services, and will the Minister say what are the undesirable things which Mr. Evans has done while he has been in Kenya?

Mr. Hopkinson

With regard to the first part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary, the fact is that Mr. Evans on arrival on a visitor's pass applied to the Chief Justice for permission to practice, and did not disclose the terms of his entry pass which did not entitle him to do so. This was eventually brought to the notice of the Chief Justice who withdrew Mr. Evan's pass on 9th May, and that, as far as I know, is the position. As regards the question of his being an undesirable immigrant, there is no doubt that since his arrival in the Colony he has been engaged in activities of a sort which could only be regarded as subversive.

Hon. Members

What are they?

Mr. Hopkinson

It is known that he urged Odede to persuade members of the Luo tribe to strike or leave their employment, in order, as he put it, "To bring the Europeans to their knees." There is no doubt that he has done tremendous harm to our cause and set us back several months.

Mr. J. Griffiths

Is the Minister aware that the only important activity of Mr. Evans, apart from his appearance in court, was that he reported incidents in which he thought there had been conduct which was not desirable from some of the forces engaged in crushing Mau Mau and which had also been commented upon by responsible observers before and after. Would the right hon. Gentleman clear up the point, which disturbs the public mind, that Mr. Evans has been described as an undesirable immigrant and asked to leave the country because he has called attention to acts which other responsible people from Kenya and responsible newspapers have also noted?

Mr. Hopkinson

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for raising that point. There is no connection whatever between the decision to cancel Mr. Evans's visitor's pass and his recent report to the Governor of the alleged malpractices of the Security Forces. The decision to cancel the pass was taken on 4th May by the Governor, before he received Mr. Evans's report and on the advice of the Principal Immigration Officer four days earlier. It was subsequently confirmed by the Executive Council which, as the right hon. Gentleman knows, includes Asiatic representatives.