Mr. Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn (Hansard, 12 April 1961)

§ Mr. Wilkins

It is my privilege to present to the Honourable Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled a humble Petition signed by 10,357 of the electors in the constituency of Bristol, South-East, which sheweth That Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn, who has been four times returned to Parliament as the Member for the said constituency of Bristol, South-East, now stands in immediate danger of disqualification solely because of an inheritance for which he is not responsible and which he wishes to renounce. The said electors and Petitioners consider that in consequence they may be unjustly denied their right of free choice in the Member they have elected to represent them in the present Parliament. Wherefore Your Petitioners most humbly pray that this Honourable House will immediately take into consideration their present grievance and take whatever action is necessary … to safeguard their right to choose their own Member to serve in the Commons House of Parliament and more particularly to safeguard the right of the said Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn to continue as such for so long as he may be elected according to law … And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c. I beg you, Mr. Speaker, to instruct the Clerk of the House to read this Petition to the House.