HC Deb 31 October 1956 vol 558 cc1426-7
9. Mr. J. Johnson

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the Labour Members of the Mauritius Legislative Council have refused to take part in the elections to the Executive Council ; and, in view of this, what is to be his future policy regarding the Ministerial system.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Mr. Fenner Brockway) on 24th October.

Mr. Johnson

Will the Minister be good enough to bear in mind that the Labour Party in Mauritius won the last election by a large margin and, since then, have won the Port Louis municipal elections and by-elections upon a ticket completely opposed to the Minister's constitutional changes? In view of the fact that we cannot call these people in any way Communists, why cannot the Minister do the decent thing and give way to the will of the people as shown by their votes in these elections?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

This Question relates to the Executive Council, and I must point out to the hon. Member that the provisions of the Executive Council (Selection of Members) Regulations, 1948, under which this has taken place, were introduced into the House by the right hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Creech Jones).

Mr. Johnson

That is a very easy gambit for any Minister to use who follows a previous Government. The Minister knows that the Mauritius Labour Party fought these elections on a new constitutional set-up. He knows what they want, he knows that they won the election by a big majority, but he, in his stubbornness, will not give way to these people.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

I can only repeat what I have said. With a due sense of my own responsibility in this matter and in close consultation with the Governor, I am satisfied that what I have proposed is best for this multi-racial community.

Mr. Bevan

Once more the right hon. Gentleman says he is satisfied. He is so easily satisfied. If he cannot change his vocabulary, why does he not change his policy? Why does he not attempt to adjust the constitution of Mauritius to the obvious desires of the population and not of his own prejudices?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

There are many differences between the right hon. Gentleman and myself, and one is that I am satisfied only when I have mastered the facts.