HC Deb 11 June 1958 vol 589 cc200-2
38. Mr. Swingler

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the French Government about the expulsion from France of Mr. Michael Foot.

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

None, Sir.

Mr. Swingler

Is not it the function of British Embassies to represent British citizens abroad, irrespective of politics, or is there now to be political discrimination in the Foreign Service? Is not it a fact that Mr. Foot asked for the British Embassy to make representations in Paris, that the Embassy failed to find out the charge being made against him, and failed to inform him that he had a right of appeal against the expulsion order? Is not it the case that in London a quite inaccurate statement of the reason why he had been expelled was put round by the Foreign Office? Is not it disgraceful that because this happened to a Left-wing journalist—one can imagine the hullabaloo if it had been a Right-wing journalist—the Foreign Office decided to make no representations?

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

Of course there is no political discrimination whatsoever in these cases. I hope that somebody, from the Front Bench opposite will repudiate any suggestion that the British Embassy in. Paris took no action because of the politics of the correspondent involved. Since the hon. Member seems to have it completely wrong, I should add that neither Mr. Foot nor the editor of the Daily Herald, for whom he was acting as special correspondent, has asked either Her Majesty's Embassy in Paris or the Foreign Office to protest about the decision of the French Government to expel him.

Mr. J. Griffiths

This matter should be cleared up. Did Mr. Foot make any representations to the Embassy in Paris, and if so, what action did the Embassy take?

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

He did ring up the Embassy in Paris—[HON. MEMBERS: "Ah."]—it is no good hon. Members saying "Ah"; the question was what representations had been made to the French Government about the expulsion. I understand that the right hon. Gentleman is asking about Mr. Foot being kept in the Prefecture over the whole of Saturday, 31st May.

Mr. J. Griffiths

indicated assent.

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

While he was there he rang up the Embassy and another member of the Daily Herald staff went to see Mr. Foot and visited the Embassy. A vice-consul from the Embassy went to see Mr. Foot at the Prefecture.

Mr. Shinwell

If hon. Members opposite dislike Mr. Foot so much, why are they in favour of his expulsion from France?

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

I have expressed no opinion on my like or dislike of Mr. Foot, but it has rather struck me that the new self-styled heirs of Tom Paine seem to be unduly sensitive in this generation.

Mr. Callaghan

The right hon. Gentleman replied that no representations have been made. Why did the Embassy take no steps following the telephone call and the personal call made at its office? Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that the baying that followed his original Answer merely demeaned his hon. Friends, because not one of us who served with Mr. Foot when he was an hon. Member will ever challenge either his honesty of purpose or his service to the cause of democracy. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

The hon. Member is elevating this to an important issue. Of course the Embassy took steps. It immediately took legal advice on whether there was any prospect of getting Mr. Foot out of detention until he was removed by aeroplane. The legal advice was that there was no possibility of getting him out of detention, and he was told that. The vice-consul also visited him, and I understand that arrangements were made to pay his hotel bill. Mrs. Foot went to see him at the Prefecture and I do not think that he suffered these great indignities which are now being suggested.