§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Bowles) indicated to me that he desired to raise some matter.
§ Mr. Frank Bowles (Nuneaton)This morning, Mr. Speaker, you kindly gave me an interview, and I intimated to you then that I wanted to raise a matter of Privilege. Perhaps I might start by referring to Chapter VIII of Erskine May, under the heading
Attempts By Improper Means to Influence Members in Their Parliamentary Conduct.On 2nd May, 1695, this House passed the following Resolution:That the offer of money, or other advantage, to any member of Parliament for the promoting of any matter whatsoever, depending or to be transacted in Parliament is a high crime and misdemeanour and tends to be subversion of the English constitution.That is the extreme case.The next heading is:
Acts Tending Indirectly To Obstruct Members In the Discharge of Their Duty.It is stated:Conduct not amounting to a direct attempt to influence a Member in the discharge of his duties, but having a tendency to impair his independence in the future performance of his duty, will also be treated as a breach of privilege.The newspaper to which I refer is Reynolds News of last Sunday, and I take the first opportunity to bring to your notice, Sir, and that of the House, an article headed:Beware the PR men as they invade the shrinking world of hard news!The article is by Ivan Yates and, if I may, I will read those extracts relevant to the point I now want to raise.Hon. Members will have heard of Messrs. Coleman, Prentis and Varley, who have an associate firm called "Voice and Vision". The first extract reads:
Then CPV took on another client—Sir Roy Welensky, Prime Minister of the Central African Federation. CPV's associate Voice 2158 and Vision, public relations consultants, shouldered the task of putting Sir Roy in a favourable light.The author then goes on to deal with other matters with which I do not think I need trouble the House, and continues:Soon after V and V took on Welensky's account, they offered free trips to M.P.s of all parties to see for themselves the wonders of partnership in the Federation. Three Tories and three Labour M.P.s—I do not know who they are—were given their tickets. After their tour the Federal Government threw a party for them and held a Press conference. They warmly backed the Federation and deplored any talk of secession.I think, Sir, that you will remember my second quotation from Erskine May:Conduct not amounting to a direct attempt to influence a Member in the discharge of his duties, but having a tendency to impair his independence in the future performance of his duty, will also be treated as a breach of privilege.I suspect that this is as gross and grave a breach of Privilege as I can imagine, and what has been written has already been read by more than 1 million people. The article is either untrue and, therefore, a gross reflection on the Members concerned—and probably on this House, also—or it is true, in which case a firm of business consultants has tried, and possibly succeeded, to influence Members of Parliament over a very serious matter which is soon to be debated and decided by this House. In other words, the allegation is that those concerned were entertained out of moneys supplied by some business consultants.The author of the article concluded by asking for an inquiry. I can think of no better inquiry than one by this House on a report back from the Committee of Privileges. I therefore ask you, Sir, to say that there is a prima facie case here.
§ Mr. SpeakerWill the hon. Member be good enough, when handing in the newspaper, to mark the two passages to which he drew attention?
§ Copy of newspaper delivered in.
§ Mr. SpeakerUnder the present dispensation I am allowed 24 hours to think about this. I will take them, and rule tomorrow.
§ Later—
§ Mr. R. T. Paget (Northampton)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I wish to 2159 raise a matter connected with the point which was raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Bowles). I do not know whether you have seen my Question No. 42 on the Order Paper, which deals with the same problem—
To ask the Prime Minister whether he will introduce legislation to control expenditure in this country by foreign or Commonwealth Governments for purposes of political propaganda either directly or through advertising agents employed for this purpose.You may remember some time ago talks about the Daily Herald and Russian gold, some forty years ago. Any attempts, whether it be by Ghana or by Southern Rhodesia, or by any foreign Government, to interfere with British politics by conducting propaganda have always been looked upon with great suspicion. I am not at all clear whether it is a matter on which the Government should defend the country or on which you, Mr. Speaker, should defend the House. I felt I should draw to your attention that this matter was raised in the other form as well.
§ Mr. SpeakerI do not know what the hon. and learned Member is doing. If he is asking me to rule on some other point of Privilege, and will say what it it is, I will do my best to rule upon it, but a reference to an unreached Question does not seem to assist me.