§ 51. Mr. C. Pannellasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the recent application in this country of novel procedures for the selection of candidates for Parliamentary elections; and if he will 199 cause a Speaker's Conference to be called to consider the implications of such procedures.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir.
§ Mr. PannellDoes the Prime Minister understand that I am referring to the advent of primary elections in Bournemouth, East and Christchurch, under rules, of course, which would disfranchise the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Woodford (Sir W. Churchill) if he were a constituent there? Does the Prime Minister not think that this sort of thing, taken in conjunction with what has happened in Belfast, North, has imported into British public life a feature which really demands more than superficial examination?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. I think that the constitutional position is quite clear. Anybody can become a candidate for Parliament provided that he fulfils the necessary conditions laid down by law. I think that the House as a whole would agree that those criteria are not very exacting.