HC Deb 05 November 1956 vol 558 cc1917-8
Mr. Benn

With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I beg to present a humble Petition signed by some hundreds of citizens of the United Kingdom most loyal subjects of the Crown. The Prayer is as follows : Wherefore your petitioners most humbly pray that the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will take immediate steps to urge Her Majesty's Government to comply with the terms of all resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly and the Charter of the United Nations in its entirety. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. I beg you, Mr. Speaker, to instruct the Clerk of the House to read this Petition to the House.

The CLERK OF THE HOUSE (SIR EDWARD FELLOWES) read the Petition to the House as follows : To : The Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled : The Humble Petition of the undersigned citizens of the United Kingdom sheweth : That the Government and people of the United Kingdom by solemn declaration and affirmation have subscribed to the Charter of the United Nations. And that the said Charter lays down in its preamble that the peoples of the United Nations are determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another and as neighbours and to ensure by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods that armed force shall not be used save in the common interest. And that for these purposes provision has been made by Articles in the said Charter for the peaceful settlement of all disputes and that the ultimate responsibility for the implementation of these provisions shall be the Security Council and the General Assembly. And that Her Majesty's Government have issued an ultimatum to the Government of Egypt which not having been accepted has led to armed conflict between the two countries on the instigation of Her Majesty's Government.

Mr. Hale

On a point of order. Hon. Members on this side of the House cannot hear.

The CLERK OF THE HOUSE : And that the duly constituted General Assembly aforesaid—

Mr. Hale

Further to that point of order. It is within the knowledge of every hon. Member that an attempt is being made to drown the voice of the learned Clerk. There was shouting across the House and remarks about Pravda and so on. These people with their fingers drenched in blood have no right to come here and howl down the Clerk of the House and abuse the processes of the House.

Mr. Speaker

The Clerk will continue to read the Petition.

The CLERK OF THE HOUSE : And that the duly constituted General Assembly aforesaid has passed by the requisite majority a Resolution calling for the cessation of hostilities by Her Majesty's Government. Wherefore your Petitioners most humbly pray that the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will take immediate steps to urge Her Majesty's Government to comply with the terms of all Resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and the General Assembly and the Charter of the United Nations in its entirety. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.

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