HC Deb 16 May 1956 vol 552 cc2009-17
The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Alan Lennox-Boyd)

With permission, Mr. Speaker, I should like to make a statement.

I greatly regret to have to report that the Singapore Constitutional Conference ended yesterday without reaching agreement.

We have been trying, in the Conference, to find a constitution for Singapore which would satisfy the aspirations of its people: and which would, at the same time, take proper account both of Singapore's importance in the defence system of the free world and of the vulnerability of her mercantile and political life.

Her Majesty's Government offered such a constitution to the delegation. It gave them the widest possible measure of internal self-government, the conduct of their own external affairs in trade and commerce, and an agreed solution to their citizenship problem which would have created a citizenship for Singapore equivalent to that enjoyed by the fully self-governing members of the Commonwealth. Her Majesty's Government considered it necessary to retain, as a safeguard, the power to make Orders in Council for Singapore; but were willing to limit this power to matters affecting United Kingdom responsibilities for external defence and external affairs. This constitution was refused by the majority of the delegation.

Both sides agreed that the control of external affairs—other than trade and commerce—and the control of external defence should remain with the United Kingdom Government. But the majority of the delegation would not agree that any powers to act in Singapore—except within already defined defence establishments—should remain in the discretion of the United Kingdom Government, other than the right, in the last resort, to take the repugnant step of suspending the constitution and assuming direct responsibility for the whole machinery of government in the island. This was not a position Her Majesty's Government could accept.

I could not, in the space of this statement, do justice to the details and complexities of the constitutional arrangements discussed. I will, therefore, set out the constitutional proposals and counterproposals which were considered by the Conference in a White Paper, so that they may receive the careful study they deserve. I will only say now that I am certain many people in Singapore will regret that the majority of the delegation would not accept the imaginative and constructive proposals that were made to them. But no doors are closed, and I hope that moderation and good sense will recognise in these proposals a basis on which fruitful negotiations can yet take place.

Mr. Bevan

This statement, as I think hon. Members in all parts of the House will agree, is exceedingly serious and may have very serious consequences. Do we understand that what has really happened is that there is a breakdown almost exclusively on the interpretation of where the frontiers lie between Her Majesty's Government's rights in the island and the rights of the local government in internal security, because there appears to be some confusion on this point? We understand that the Chief Minister is prepared to remain in this country in order to try to seek further and, he hopes, satisfactory elucidation of this matter. If he is prepared to do so, is the right hon. Gentleman prepared to meet him in the same spirit?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The right hon. Gentleman's interpretation of the causes of the breakdown is not by any means correct. The Conference did not break down on the limited field of internal security. It broke down fundamentally on two points. The first was the refusal to recognise that we must have some power in the field reserved to us in Singapore, of external defence primarily, and the wide measure of external affairs, that is, some power other than the power totally to suspend the constitution.

Secondly, it broke down on the fact that we could not accept a constitution for the Defence and Security Council which would put Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom in a permanent minority on a body without whose authority we could take no action, save that of the suspension of the constitution, in the fields by agreement reserved for us and for which in our generation land historically we would be held responsible. We would, in fact, have been undertaking responsibility without the power to discharge it.

If the right hon. Gentleman has in mind a statement which, I understand. was made at a Press conference this morning, that as a last effort the Chief Minister had offered the Colonial Secretary all the powers the British Government wanted until April, 1959, I hope that he will accept from me the assurance that that offer was made on the clear understanding that these powers would completely lapse in April, 1959, after which we would have no powers of that kind at all; and that was out of the question for any responsible Government to accept.

Mr. Bevan

Does not the reply of the right hon. Gentleman confirm the statement I made, because we are in the situation where a wide area of agreement has been reached? This delegation is prepared to acquiesce in the existence of the base, to acquiesce in all the military steps necessary for the defence and establishment of the base, to acquiesce in Her Majesty's Government having full control over external affairs and external defence. Is not that a wide area of agreement?

Mr. Lennox Boyd

indicated dissent.

Mr. Bevan

The right hon. Gentleman shakes his head, but I understand that to be so. I understand that what has happened is that there has been a breakdown on the interpretation of the functions of local government and local police. [HON. MEMBERS: "No."] That is what the right hon. Gentleman said just now.

What I am asking is this: is it not possible that existing fears might be removed, that what the right hon. Gentleman has in mind is the retention of powers which would by inference, both implicitly and explicitly, limit the powers of the local government, and that if we could reach some definition of where the frontiers would lie there, agreement would be possible? Is he not aware that we had to face a similar difficulty in Malta and will be facing it in Cyprus—in fact, everywhere? If we can find a formula to deal with this kind of difficulty, then we shall have made a considerable step towards reconciliation in these areas. I wish the right hon. Gentleman would realise that we are doing our very best to be helpful in this matter, because we would prefer the Government to be right than to have to attack them over a new Cyprus.

Mr. Lenno-Boyd

I share the interest of the right hon. Gentleman in finding a way out of this difficulty. I would like to say what a pleasure it was to Her Majesty's Government to receive here the delegates from Singapore, to renew old friendships and to make new ones. I think that personal confidence and personal trust has been established in many quarters which will do nothing but good in the future. However, the right hon. Gentleman is wrong in harping on internal security. Our interest in internal security has been in its implication and involvement in external defence. Her Majesty's Government could only have operated the proposals of the delegation about the Defence and Security Council if there had been a majority vote on that Council, even in the field of external affairs and external defence. We would have been in a permanent minority on that Council, our powers would have been limited to a recommendation by that Council on which we would have been in a minority in a field expressly reserved to us, unless we were prepared to take, over every question, the utterly repugnant step of suspending the constitution.

Mr. Bevan

May I have an answer to my question? We cannot investigate the matter here—we shall have to do it again —but may I suggest respectfully that what the right hon. Gentleman has just said, and what we understand, itself reveals that there is an area of misunderstanding?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

indicated dissent.

Mr. Bevan

The right hon. Gentleman shakes his head. He should not be so obdurate. Is he prepared to meet the Chief Minister again before he leaves for Singapore, to try to see whether or not further elucidation is possible?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd:

The right hon. Gentleman, with his natural interest in these matters, will, I hope, allow me to say that I have lived with this problem and been in the closest contact with the delegates for the last three weeks. I have had countless meetings with the Chief Minister, with whom I intend, as a personal friend, to spend this evening. Her Majesty's Government are, of course, always prepared to renew discussions on the basis of our present proposals with this or any other Government of Singapore.

Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd:

Am I right in understanding my right hon. Friend to the effect that the difficulty which has arisen relates entirely to the retention of powers necessary for the carrying out of defence responsibility? If so, those of us who share his very deep desire to reach an agreement with the Singapore delegation will reluctantly conclude that breakdown at this stage is inevitable.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Yes, Sir. I can assure my right hon. Friend that his interpretation is absolutely correct.

Mr. J. Griffiths

Our desire is to see whether it is at all possible that the breakdown may even yet be avoided, for if the delegation returns to Singapore with a report only of a deadlock and a breakdown, none of us knows what will be the consequences. It so happens that I had the privilege of seeing the Chief Minister this morning. May I ask the Secretary of State whether, consequent upon the conversation I had with the Chief Minister, he will express his readiness to consider a reopening of negotiations? I gather that the delegation will be here until Sunday. Would it not be better, therefore, if there is another meeting? I share the view expressed by my right hon. Friend the Member for Ebbw Vale (Mr. Bevan), after that conversation this morning, that nothing but good could come from another meeting. If, as we believe at the moment, there is some misunderstanding, it would be a pity if the delegation and the Secretary of State presented separate reports. May I. therefore, appeal to the right hon. Gentleman to be ready to have other meetings before the delegation returns?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

There is no possible misunderstanding, save in certain quarters of this House which, for obvious reasons, have not been able to follow in detail the story of these discussions. However, if they read the White Paper I think that even their misunderstandings will be cleared away. But. I repeat, I am in constant touch with the Chief Minister of Singapore, whom I regard as a personal friend—a relationship which I think he reciprocates. I am seeing him again this evening, but it would be idle to suggest that proposals other than the present proposals of Her Majesty's Government in this vital field, and in the present crucial situation in the world. could be acceptable. On the basis of the present proposals— which go much further in meeting the aspirations of Singapore than the Chief Minister or anybody else there could have expected when I saw him last August and drew up the agenda, in December—it would be idle to expect that proposals which went further than that could possibly be acceptable.

Mr. Bevan

Does not the right hon. Gentleman use the most unfortunate language? When we understand that there is some misunderstanding, would it not be better for him to say, "If there is misunderstanding I am quite prepared to meet the delegation in order to remove it, rather than to repeat the formula, I cannot move from where I am? That is not the best way of approaching this matter now, it seems to me. We suggest seriously to the right hon. Gentleman that it is far better to win the battle than merely to win the argument.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I am very conscious of that and I am not concerned with winning arguments. I am concerned with winning battles, but battles of a friendly kind. I would remind the right hon. Gentleman that battles can be settled by capitulation, and that capitulation in this case would have meant that we would have retained publicly in the eyes of the people of Singapore, and in the eyes of the world, certain responsibilities which we could not possibly have discharged. I am at all times ready to talk to the Chief Minister of Singapore, or any other leader in Singapore, on the basis of the present proposals of Her Majesty's Government.

Sir G. Lloyd

Is my right hon. Friend aware that we on the benches behind him fully share his great disappointment at the breakdown of the Conference, and congratulate him upon the tremendous efforts he has made? Is my right hon. Friend also aware that we fully share in the hope that wiser counsels in Singapore may yet prevail?

Hon. Members

And here

Mr. H. Morrison

As one who thinks that the Secretary of State has gone a very long way to meeting the claims of the delegation—we all ought to be ready to admit that—may I, nevertheless, suggest that, as it is understood from the remarks of one of my right hon. Friends on the Front Bench that the Chief Minister has indicated that he would like another meeting—I should have thought with the delegation—to see whether at the fifty-ninth minute of the hour it is not possible to clear up misunderstanding, it could not do any harm and it might do some good? If it fails, that will be too bad, but I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it would not be well to respond to that request so that nobody shall say hereafter that he did not do the best he could in the circumstances, even at this late hour?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd:

First, may I thank the right hon. Gentleman for what he has said, and say that his own recent visit to Singapore did a very great deal to spread mutual confidence and trust between our two peoples? The Chief Minister of Singapore knows perfectly well where to get hold of me, and how ready I am at any time to respond to any request from him. Indeed, as I have said, I am seeing him for many hours this evening. I am always ready to discuss with the Chief Minister of Singapore any other considerations that may arise.

The Conference yesterday came to no conclusion because there was a complete deadlock between us, and I was not prepared, on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, to accept responsibility without the power to discharge it. If, within the framework of our proposals, further talks are thought to be profitable, the Chief Minister knows perfectly well that I and my colleagues will be very happy to have them.

Mr. Bevan

Would not the right hon. Gentleman consider the relationship of the Chief Minister to the situation in Singapore? If the Chief Minister now says to the right hon. Gentleman, "I want to meet you again" it might have unfortunate results in Singapore. The right hon. Gentleman himself is strong enough. Her Majesty's Government are in a position of strength they are not afraid of local public opinion. Therefore, would it not be better for the right hon. Gentleman to say, "I will invite the Chief Minister to meet me again so that I may clear up any misunderstandings that may exist"? If the right hon. Gentleman used such words, surely it would be far better than using the language that he used just now.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd:

I think I know the Chief Minister at least as well as the right hon. Gentleman does. During the many hours this evening that I shall be in his company I shall make it quite plain that if he has a proposition that he wants to make I shall be ready to listen to it and that I am very ready to discuss any problems on the basis of Her Majesty's Government's present proposals.

Mr. J. Griffiths

As this is a matter of very great importance, may I express the hope that the Secretary of State will reconsider the matter and that he himself will issue an invitation to the Chief Minister and the delegation to meet him again?

Mr. Tilney

As all friends of Singapore are extremely sorry at the breakdown of the negotiations in view of the vital importance of Singapore to not only the Commonwealth but the whole of the free world, will my right hon. Friend take steps to ensure that the views of Her Majesty's Government are given the greatest possible publicity not only in Singapore but throughout the Far East?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Yes, Sir. I see that the Prime Minister of Australia and, I think, the Prime Minister of New Zealand have already made statements on the matter.

Mr. Paget

Does it not often happen that when there are differences in negotiations one of the best ways of getting over them is to seek agreement as to what the differences are? Apparently, at the moment, there are differences of opinion as to what the differences are. We are to have a White Paper. Why does not the right hon. Gentleman invite Mr. Marshall to co-operate with him in preparing the White Paper and defining the differences? They would then at least get together again, and they might find that the differences are not nearly as big as they think. Is that not a new gate which the right hon. Gentleman might try to open?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The hon. and learned Gentleman has many ingenious suggestions to solve our problems in many fortresses of the world, and I would not disregard the value of that one.

Several Hon. Members

rose—

Mr. Speaker

Order. There is no Question before the House.