§ 43. Mr. Wyattasked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement amplifying his recent official proposal that there should eventually be a merger between Great Britain and the United States of America.
§ The Prime MinisterI would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for the Isle of Ely (Sir H. Legge-Bourke) on 1st December.
§ Mr. WyattWhy is the Prime Minister being so coy about this? Is it not quite obvious that he said something of this sort to somebody, or else a number of reputable journalists, including his noble Friend the Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Viscount Lambton), are grossly misinformed and are misleading the public? Why does he confide in American journalists and not in the House of Commons? He may have the germ of a very good idea. Could not we all hear about it instead of his thinking aloud at a tea party?
§ The Prime MinisterThere is a very long tradition of private discussions in which privacy has been maintained with great care, in most of my experience. I very much prefer that reference should not be made to private discussions. Nevertheless, I do not impugn anybody's good faith. In case there is any misunderstanding, I will make it clear that I do not believe in the Atlantic Union, which has always been taken to mean a merger or a combination between the United Kingdom and the United States. Such a concept would mean leaving out not only the Commonwealth but also Europe, and would be wholly unacceptable. As I said on 1st December, I believe in working for continually closer co-operation in all these fields, between various nations or groups of nations of importance in the free world. I am bound to say that if we do not gradually move in that direction I think that our chances of winning this great struggle will be correspondingly reduced.
§ Viscount LambtonWould my right hon. Friend please explain to the House the difference between thinking aloud and saying what you mean? Would he also comment upon the statement which was made by a Foreign Office spokesman in Rome that at this meeting to which I referred
Mr. Macmillan coined the term 'Atlantic Union' to describe a possible merger. He told Americans that nothing should stand in its way.Another official said later that the Prime Minister was not necessarily thinking of now but of 1990 or maybe even later.
§ The Prime MinisterAnswering the first part of the supplementary question, I still say—and this is a long tradition which most of us have enjoyed—that I 1065 prefer that references are not made to private off-the-record meetings. If such reference is to be made, the value of such meetings becomes lost. I can only repeat what I have said: "Atlantic Union" has always been taken to mean a union between the United States and the United Kingdom. It is certainly not a new phrase and it is ridiculous to say that I coined the phrase, which was in a book written many years ago. For the reasons which I have given, it seems to me to be wholly contrary to this concept of the closer co-operation of Europe, the Commonwealth and the United States.
§ Mr. GaitskellIt is very unsatisfactory that private conversations of this kind should be reported. Has the Prime Minister taken any steps to find out how the leakage or the misrepresentation occurred? Will he not comment on the supplementary question of his hon. Friend the Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Viscount Lambton) about the statement issued in Rome?
§ The Prime MinisterI know nothing about a statement issued in Rome. If it is said that I coined the phrase "Atlantic Union", I am afraid that the spokesman has made an obvious mistake. [HON. MEMBERS: "The Foreign Office."] Everybody knows that that phrase has been in use for years. Mistakes are made or people may be misreported.
The right hon. Member knows from his experience that if these private discussions take place, it is rare for them to be revealed. I think that they have a value and that talks of this sort are useful, and in my long experience I have found that the confidences given in these talks have been remarkably well kept by journalists all over the world.
§ Viscount LambtonWhile thanking my right hon. Friend for the courtesy and circuity with which he has answered me today, may I ask whether—now that this conversation is no longer private—he would completely clear the matter up by saying that the question of the Atlantic Union was never discussed that afternoon?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. I would not say anything of the kind. It would be ridiculous to say that, because 1066 obviously it may have been mentioned by one of those present. But I have made it clear today, as I have always made it clear—and my hon. Friend and the House know this—that I believe that Europe, the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and United States should in monetary matters, economic matters and defence matters and all their general policy work towards an ever-closer union. I know that it will take a long time, but I made a plea that we should not take action which prevented that gradual growth but should always have our eyes upon its ultimate attainment.
§ Mr. GaitskellDid the discussions to which the Prime Minister referred take place in Rome? Was it there that he had the discussion? Will he not look into this statement of his noble Friend the Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Viscount Lambton) that a Foreign Office spokesman said that the Prime Minister had coined the phrase "Atlantic Union"?
§ The Prime MinisterI will look into that point but I dealt with the wider point. The right hon. Gentleman knows as well as anyone from his experience that we have these discussions. I was trying to clear up a misunderstanding. I am sure that it was a misunderstanding and I do not think that it was ill will. Something was attributed to me by somebody, who may or may not have been present, which was incorrect. At any rate, I have now stated my position. I am not ashamed of it and I think it commands a certain amount of support on all sides of the House.