Representative Government (Hansard, 11 April 1961)

§ 2. Sir A. Hurd
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made in forming a representative Government in Kenya.

§ 17. Mr. Fenner Brockway
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, if he will make a statement on the Governmental deadlock in Kenya.

§ Mr. Iain Macleod
The Governor is continuing his endeavours to form a 4 Government and I would prefer to make no statement at present.

§ Sir A. Hurd
Will my right hon. Friend emphasise again in this House that we fully support the Governor of Kenya in the line he is taking in trying to recruit from elected members of all races in Kenya a Government that will take responsibility? That is the desperately urgent matter now, and we do not mind very much which African party first shows the political courage to do what is right for Kenya.

§ Mr. Macleod
I am sure the best answer is that people of all races should come forward together in these circumstances to accept portfolios and form a strong Government. I believe that this could be done.

§ Mr. Brockway
Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that there are very many in this House who profoundly disagree with the point of view expressed by the hon. Gentleman opposite in his supplementary question—[HON. MEMBERS: "Who?"]—nearly the whole of the Opposition—and that we regard it as a tragedy, with this new opportunity in Kenya and with the elections which passed off in a spirit of good will, that there should be the danger that this new hope will be ruined by the obstinacy of the Governor?

§ Mr. Macleod
It certainly is not the obstinacy of the Governor, and, as he made clear in his broadcast, his thinking is exactly the same as that of Her Majesty's Government, and always has been. Naturally, on a matter of this importance, Her Majesty's Government would be most closely consulted. I do not think that what the hon. Gentleman says is right. On the contrary, I think it would be disastrous if after elections which were, on the whole, so amiably fought this sort of condition were imported into a constitution in which it has no part. It was never a condition of the Lancaster House agreement that anything to do with law and order should be a prerequisite of forming a Government, nor should it be made one now.

§ Mr. Callaghan
Does not the right hon. Gentleman realise that pledges given by both African parties to their electorate make the release of Kenyatta one of the conditions prerequisite to forming a Government? If the right 5 hon. Gentleman proposes to back the Governor in this position, what steps will he take to overcome the resulting deadlock?

§ Mr. Macleod
I am not convinced that deadlock is yet there. I know that the Hon. Member recognises that this is an extremely difficult position and wants to see a way out if one can be found. I am sure that the way out is for a Government to be formed. Once a Government is formed, that being the first prerequisite the Governor laid down, it may be possible to move into happier days.

§ Mr. Callaghan
I appreciate what the right hon. Gentleman says, but does not he understand that it is very difficult for politicians to take office if they have previously given pledges which will not be redeemed upon their taking office? In those circumstances, could there not be a concurrent pledge that if these politicians take office and security is not endangered at the end of three months, Kenyatta will be released?

§ Mr. Macleod
The specific difficulty about a proposal like that is that we cannot be sure what the law and order and security position will be in three, four or six months, or in any given period of time, I do not think that the conditions should be related in any way to a period of time, as the hon. Member suggests.