§ Question again proposed, That "23rd" stand part of the Question.
§ 6.35 p.m.
§ Mr. MarshBefore the interruption, Mr. Speaker, I was making the point that it was wrong of the Government to try to claim, as an analogy to the present situation, the circumstances under a Government with a majority of only six.
Mr. MacleodThe hon. Gentleman is wrong. I cannot think of any precedent in the period to which he refers. The analogy I used today was from 1947, when the Socialists had a very large majority.
§ Mr. MarshI apologise. I thought that the right hon. Gentleman mentioned the later period. But he did use in evidence the debate on the B.B.C. Licence and Agreement. He made the point that the difficulties which arose that night were not the result of his actions. This is germane to the issue and is one of the reasons why it is unjustifiable to ask the House to have such a long Recess. We find ourselves short of time now because of the direct actions of the right hon. Gentleman since, on the night of the debate on the B.B.C. Licence and Agreement, he began by opposing the Adjournment and finished by moving it himself. We find ourselves in the same difficulty today, because of the situation which arose last night.
§ I support the suggestion that we should come back on an earlier date it is quite wrong and illogical for the House to say that it has not sufficient time to discuss issues when it is to go away for five weeks. A timetable Motion should not be used as anything other than as absolutely the last resort. In addition, we are now in a situation where the Foreign Affairs debate is in jeopardy. That means that we have lost another day. We keep on losing days like this, but the answer is not to put down a timetable Motion. The problem is not helped by having a Recess of the length proposed by the Government. The difficulties arise entirely out of the actions and decisions of the Leader of the House.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe Question is—
§ Mr. S. SilvermanOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I think that, perhaps, I have a right to say a word in conclusion. I should like to explain to my right hon. Friend the Member for Smethwick (Mr. Gordon Walker) why I cannot accept his invitation to withdraw my Amendment.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman has moved his Amendment and that has the effect of his having spoken once to the main Question. He cannot speak again now.
§ Question put, That "23rd" stand part of the Question:—
§ The House divided: Ayes 172, Noes 3.
1431Division No. 43.] | AYES | [6.48 p.m. |
Agnew, Sir Peter | Carr, Compton (Barons Court) | Fraser, Ian (Plymouth, Sutton) |
Allason, James | Channon, H. P. G. | Freeth, Denzil |
Ashton, Sir Hubert | Chataway, Christopher | Gardner, Edward |
Atkins, Humphrey | Chichester-Clark, R. | Gibson-Watt, David |
Barber, Anthony | Cole, Norman | Gilmour, Sir John |
Barlow, Sir John | Cooke, Robert | Glover, Sir Douglas |
Barter, John | Cooper, A. E. | Glyn, Sir Richard (Dorset, N.) |
Bell, Ronald | Cordeaux, Lt.-Col. J. K. | Godber, J. B. |
Bennett, F. M. (Torquay) | Corfield, F. V. | Goodhart, Philip |
Bennett, Dr. Reginald (Gos & Fhm) | Costain, A. P. | Goodhew, Victor |
Berkeley, Humphry | Craddock, Sir Beresford | Grant-Ferris, Wg. Cdr. R. |
Bidgood, John C. | Critchley, Julian | Green, Alan |
Biffen, John | Cunningham, Knox | Gresham Cooke, R. |
Biggs-Davison, John | Curran, Charles | Grimston, Sir Robert |
Bingham, R. M- | d'Avigdor-Goldsmid, Sir Henry | Gurden, Harold |
Birch, Rt. Hon. Nigel | Deedes, W. F. | Hamilton, Michael (Wellingborough) |
Bishop, F. P. | Digby, Simon Wingfield | Harris, Reader (Heston) |
Bossom, Clive | Drayson, G. B. | Harrison, Brian (Maldon) |
Bourne-Arton, A. | Eden, John | Harrison, Col. Sir Harwood (Eye) |
Box, Donald | Elliot, Capt. Walter (Carshalton) | Harvey, Sir Arthur Vers (Macclesf'd) |
Boyle, Sir Edward | Elliott, R. W. (Nwcstle-upon-Tyne, N.) | Hastings, Stephen |
Brown, Alan (Tottenham) | Emmet, Hon. Mrs. Evelyn | Heald, Rt. Hon. Sir Lionel |
Bryan, Paul | Errington, Sir Eric | Heath, Rt. Hon. Edward |
Buck, Antony | Finlay, Graeme | Hendry, Forbes |
Butler, Rt. Hn. R.A.(Saffron Walden) | Fisher, Nigel | Hill, J. E. B. (S. Norfolk) |
Campbell, Gordon (Moray & Nairn) | Fletcher-Cooke, Charles | Hinchingbrooke, Viscount |
Holland, Philip | Mawby, Ray | Skeet, T. H. H |
Hornby, R. P. | Maxwell-Hyslop, R. J. | Smith, Dudley (Br'ntf'd & Chiswick) |
Howard, Hon. G. R. (St. Ives) | Maydon, Lt.-Cmdr. S. L. C. | Smithers, Peter |
Hughes Hallett, Vice-Admiral John | Mills, Stratton | Spearman, Sir Alexander |
Hughes-Young, Michael | Montgomery, Fergus | Stoddart-Scott, Col. Sir Malcolm |
Hubert, Sir Norman | Orr, Capt. L. P. S. | Studholme, Sir Henry |
Iremonger, T. L. | Osborn, John (Hallam) | Summers, Sir Spencer (Aylesbury) |
Irvine, Bryant Godman (Rye) | Page, Graham (Crosby) | Taylor, Sir Charles (Eastbourne) |
James, David | Page, John (Harrow, West) | Temple, John M. |
Jennings, J. C. | Partridge, E. | Thatcher, Mrs. Margaret |
Johnson, Dr. Donald (Carlisle) | Pearson, Frank (Clitheroe) | Thompson, Kenneth (Walton) |
Johnson, Eric (Blackley) | Pickthorn, Sir Kenneth | Thornton-Kemsley, Sir Colin |
Johnson Smith, Geoffrey | Pike, Miss Cervyn | Turner, Colin |
Kerans, Cdr. J. S. | Pitman, Sir James | Turton, Rt. Hon. R. H. |
Kershaw, Anthony | Pitt, Miss Edith | van Straubenzee, W. R. |
Kirk, Peter | Pott, Percivall | Vickers, Miss Joan |
Langford-Holt, J. | Price, David (Eastleigh) | Wakefield, Edward (Derbyshire, W.) |
Leburn, Gilmour | Prior, J. M. L. | Walder, David |
Legge-Bourke, Sir Harry | Prior-Palmer, Brig. Sir Otho | |
Lewis, Kenneth (Rutland) | Profumo, Dr. Hon. John | Walker, Peter |
Lindsay, Martin | Proudfoot, Wilfred | Walker-Smith, Rt. Hon. Sir Derek |
Litchfield, Capt. John | Redmayne, Rt. Hon. Martin | Ward, Dame Irene |
Longbottom, Charles | Renton, David | Wells, John (Maidstone) |
Longden, Gilbert | Ridley, Hon. Nicholas | Whitelaw, William |
Loveys, Walter H. | Roberts, Sir Peter (Heeley) | Williams, Dudley (Exeter) |
Lucas-Tooth, Sir Hugh | Rodgers, John (Sevenoaks) | Wilson, Geoffrey (Truro) |
McLaren, Martin | Roots, William | Wise, A. R. |
Macleod, Rt. Hn. Iain (Enfield, W.) | Royle, Anthony (Richmond, Surrey) | Woollam, John |
McMaster, Stanley R, | Russell, Ronald | Worsley, Marcus |
Macpherson, Niall (Dumfries) | St. Clair, M. | |
Maddan, Martin | Scott-Hopkins, James | TELLERS FOR THE AYES: |
Maitland, Sir John | Shaw, M. | Mr. Noble and Mr. Peel. |
Marten, Neil | Simon, Rt. Hon. Sir Jocelyn | |
NOES | ||
Holt, Arthur | TELLERS FOR THE NOES: | |
Silverman, Sydney (Nelson) | Mr. Emrys Hughes and | |
Thorpe, Jeremy | Mr. Michael Foot |
§ Main Question again proposed.
§ 6.58 p.m.
§ Mr. WarbeyNow that we are free from the restrictions of the debate on the Amendment, I wish briefly to refer to the question of whether or not this House should adjourn tomorrow for the Christmas Recess. In my view there are a number of reasons why we should not adjourn for the Recess tomorrow—a number of very substantial matters of both domestic and international importance on which we ought to hear statements from members of the Government and which this House ought to have an opportunity to debate.
I do not intend to range over the whole field, but for illustration I mention merely two. One is the question of the further developments in the Congo. I raise this matter because it is an urgent one. It is one which has to be dealt with immediately by the Government and one on which the Government have a responsibility. I feel quite sure that the Lord Privy Seal will say that he will not be able to deal with this matter later this evening, if we ever reach the debate on foreign affairs, because it has been agreed on both sides that that debate— 1432 particularly in the short time which will then be available—shall be limited to Berlin, to international discussions between the great Powers, and possibly to disarmament. Therefore, as we cannot expect any statement then from the right hon. Gentleman about the Government's further intentions in regard to the Congo, we ought to have one now.
In particular, I ask the Lord Privy Seal this question. Since the Acting Secretary-General of the United Nations has rejected the appeal for an immediate cease-fire which was made by the Government last week and has continued the operations in the Congo with the object of achieving the United Nations objectives there, what steps do the Government now propose to take? That is the first question which the right hon. Gentleman should answer.
There are a number of hon. Members on his own side of the House who have already told the Government that if there were not an immediate cease-fire the Government should withhold their contribution. Do the Government intend to do that? The Prime Minister, in his effort to win back the support of his rebellious hon. Friends,—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Member must direct his observations to the Question now before the House. We cannot debate Katanga at length on this Question.
§ Mr. WarbeyI will endeavour to do that, Mr. Speaker. I was indicating the statement that we ought to have and the questions that should be answered by the Government before we adjourn for the Recess, and I was giving that as a reason why we should not adjourn. Certainly, the Government are morally bound to tell, not only hon. Members on this side, but also their own Members, who rallied around them last week in response to a Government pledge that they would seek an immediate cease-fire, what they now intend to do since the Acting Secretary-General has rejected their request.
The other matter about which we should most certainly have a statement in the House before we adjourn is on the question of the Government's action in relation to Goa. That may be a matter partly for the Lord Privy Seal, but it is probably rather more a matter for the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations. No doubt, the Lord Privy Seal or the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs will be in a position to answer on behalf of their right hon. Friend.
Before we adjourn for the Recess, the House is entitled to know why the Government have sided with the other members of the Western military bloc in denouncing a member of the Commonwealth as an aggressor. That is what happened yesterday at the Security Council of the United Nations. We have had no report to this House on the actions of the British representative in the Security Council, no report on the way in which he voted on the resolutions put before the Council and no defence by the Government of the way in which they have abandoned a Commonwealth country in a difficult position to side with their allies in the Western military bloc.
It should be remembered that those allies include a country like Turkey, which recently murdered its political opponents—
§ Mr. A. LewisOn a point of order. I do not know whether you can hear, 1434 Mr. Speaker, but a terrific noise is going on in this part of the Chamber. Could you call to order any of the hon. Members who may be making the noise so that my hon. Friend may continue his speech?
§ Mr. F. M. BennettBefore you deal with that point of order, Mr. Speaker, could you also understand that the applause from the Opposition Front Bench to this contribution to the debate is so overwhelming that we cannot hear either?
§ Mr. SpeakerI hope that hon. Members will preserve the rule of the House, keeping silence while others are speaking.
§ Mr. WarbeyWe ought to hear from the Lord Privy Seal or from the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether they made any serious attempt to induce the Portuguese Government to observe, not only common international decency, but also their obligations to the United Nations. The Portuguese Government were bound—
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member is departing from the Question before the House. He may properly ask for a statement about something if he wants it, but he must not argue the reasons about it in detail.
§ Mr. WarbeyI bow to your Ruling, Mr. Speaker, and I should like to ask the appropriate member of the Government to tell us whether they ever said bluntly to the Portuguese Government that they should get out of Goa. We are entitled to know whether they did that. We are entitled to know whether the Government, when taking the decision to support a resolution, in effect, condemning India as the aggressor, took into account that this would sound curiously like hypocrisy coming from the same men of Suez and the men who had supported American intervention in Cuba.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member must bear in mind what is the Question before the House.
§ Mr. WarbeyWith respect, Mr. Speaker, I was saying that these were matters on which there should be a statement to the House before we adjourn, because they are of great 1435 interest. They are matters which are urgent because they are in action at the moment and under discussion by the Security Council. Secondly, they affect not only the relations of this country with foreign Powers, but they affect the whole of the internal relationships within the British Commonwealth.
I want to know whether the Government intend to try to develop the Commonwealth association or whether they intend to scrap it, as their actions appear to be designed to do. I want to know whether they are aware, or will tell the House before we adjourn, which members of the Security Council voted with them against India and which members voted in support of India and against the motion moved by the United States. We ought to know whether the reports given in the Press on this matter are correct.
We ought to know whether it is true that the Government were associated
§ with the Governments of France and of Turkey, as well as of the United States and Nationalist China, in this matter and whether they were opposed in the vote, not only by the United Arab Republic and the Soviet Union, but also by Liberia and Ceylon. We ought to know whether the Government have taken into account the reactions that there will be and there have already been in other member-countries of the Commonwealth, not only India itself, but Ghana and Nigeria, as well as Ceylon.
§ These are the matter on which the House should be informed. We ought to know whether the Government are persisting not only in weakening the Commonwealth in this way, but also in denigrating the world's greatest statesman in order to perpetuate their own hypocrisy.
§ Question put:—
§ The House divided: Ayes 168, Noes 92.
1437Division No. 44.] | AYES | [7.9 p.m. |
Agnew, Sir Peter | Ellington, Sir Eric | Kershaw, Anthony |
Allason, James | Finlay, Graeme | Kirk, Peter |
Ashton, Sir Hubert | Fisher, Nigel | Langford-Holt, J. |
Atkins, Humphrey | Fletcher-Cooke, Charles | Leburn, Gilmour |
Barber, Anthony | Fraser, Ian (Plymouth, Sutton) | Legge-Bourke, Sir Harry |
Barlow, Sir John | Freeth, Denzil | Lewis, Kenneth (Rutland) |
Barter, John | Gardner, Edward | Lindsay, Martin |
Bell, Ronald | Gibson-Watt, David | Litchfield, Capt. John |
Bennett, F. M. (Torquay) | Gilmour, Sir John | Longbottom, Charles |
Bennett, Dr. Reginald (Gos & Fhm) | Glover, Sir Douglas | Longden, Gilbert |
Bidgood, John C. | Glyn, Sir Richard (Dorset, N.) | Loveys, Walter H. |
Biffen, John | Godber, J. B. | Lucas-Tooth, Sir Hugh |
Biggs-Davison, John | Goodhart, Philip | McLaren, Martin |
Bingham, R. M. | Goodhew, Victor | Macleod, Rt. Hn. Iain (Enfield, W.) |
Birch, Rt. Hon. Nigel | Grant-Ferris, Wg. Cdr. R. | McMaster, Stanley R. |
Bishop, F. P. | Green, Alan | Macpherson, Niall (Dumfries) |
Bossom, Clive | Gresham Cooke, R. | Maddan, Martin |
Bourne-Arton, A. | Grimston, Sir Robert | Maitland, Sir John |
Box, Donald | Gurden, Harold | Mawby, Ray |
Boyle, Sir Edward | Hamilton, Michael (Wellingborough) | Maxwell-Hysop, R. J. |
Brown, Alan (Tottenham) | Hare, Rt. Hon. John | Maydon, Lt.-Cmdr. S. L. C. |
Bryan, Paul | Harris, Reader (Heston) | Mills, Stratton |
Buck, Antony | Harrison, Brian (Maldon) | Montgomery, Fergus |
Butler, Rt. Hn. R. A.(Saffron Walden) | Harrison, Col. Sir Harwood (Eye) | Noble, Michael |
Carr, Compton (Barons Court) | Harvey, Sir Arthur Vere (Macclesf'd) | Orr, Capt. L. P. S. |
Channon, H. P. G. | Hastings, Stephen | Page, Graham (Crosby) |
Chataway, Christopher | Heald, Rt. Hon. Sir Lionel | Page, John (Harrow, West) |
Chichester-Clark, R. | Heath, Rt. Hon. Edward | Partridge, E. |
Cole, Norman | Hendry, Forbes | Pearson, Frank (Clitheroe) |
Cooke, Robert | Hill, J. E. B. (S. Norfolk) | Peel, John |
Cooper, A. E. | Hinchingbrooke, Viscount | Pickthorn, Sir Kenneth |
Cordeaux, Lt.-Col. J. K. | Holland, Philip | Pike, Miss Mervyn |
Corfield, F. V. | Hornby, R. P. | Pitman, Sir James |
Costain, A. P. | Howard, Hon. G. R. (St. Ives) | Pitt, Miss Edith |
Craddock, Sir Beresford | Hughes Hallett, Vice-Admiral John | Pott, Percivall |
Critchley, Julian | Hughes-Young, Michael | Prior, J. M. L. |
Cunningham, Knox | Hulbert, Sir Norman | Prior-Palmer, Brig. Sir Otho |
Curran, Charles | Iremonger, T. L. | Profumo, Rt. Hon. John |
d'Avigdor-Goldsmid, Sir Henry | Irvine, Bryant Godman (Rye) | Proudfoot, Wilfred |
Deedes, W. F. | James, David | Redmayne, Rt. Hon. Martin |
Drayson, G. B. | Jenkins, Robert (Dulwich) | Renton, David |
Eden, John | Johnson, Dr. Donald (Carlisle) | Ridley, Hon. Nicholas |
Elliot, Capt. Walter (Carshalton) | Johnson, Eric (Blackley) | Roberts, Sir Peter (Heeley) |
Elliott, R. W. (Nwcastle-upon-Tyne, N.) | Johnson Smith, Geoffrey | Rodgers, John (Sevenoaks) |
Emmet, Hon. Mrs. Evelyn | Kerans, Cdr. J. S. | Roots, William |
Royle, Anthony (Richmond, Surrey) | Summers, Sir Spencer (Aylesbury) | Walker, Peter |
Russell, Ronald | Taylor, Sir Charles (Eastbourne) | Walker-Smith, Rt. Hon. Sir Derek |
St. Clair, M. | Temple, John M. | Ward, Dame Irene |
Scott-Hopkins, James | Thatcher, Mrs. Margaret | Wells, John (Maidstone) |
Shaw, M. | Thompson, Kenneth (Walton) | Williams, Dudley (Exeter) |
Simon, Rt. Hon. Sir Jocelyn | Thornton-Kemsley, Sir Colin | Wilson, Geoffrey (Truro) |
Skeet, T. H. H. | Turner, Colin | Wise, A. R. |
Smith, Dudley (Br'ntf'd & Chiswick) | Turton, Rt. Hon. R. H. | Woollam, John |
Smithers, Peter | van Straubenzee, W. R. | Worsley, Marcus |
Spearman, Sir Alexander | Vickers, Miss Joan | |
Stoddart-Scott, Col. Sir Malcolm | Wakefield, Edward (Derbyshire, W.) | TELLERS FOR THE AYES |
Studholme, Sir Henry | Walder, David | Mr. Whitelaw and |
Mr. Gordon Campbell. | ||
NOES | ||
Albu, Austen | Holt, Arthur | Prentice, R. E. |
Allen, Scholefield (Crewe) | Houghton, Douglas | Randall, Harry |
Bowden, Herbert W. (Leics, S.W.) | Hughes, Emrys (S. Ayrshire) | Rankin, John |
Brockway, A. Former | Hughes, Hector (Aberdeen, N.) | Reynolds, G. W. |
Brown, Rt. Hon. George (Belper) | Hunter, A. E. | Roberts, Albert (Normanton) |
Buller, Herbert (Hackney, C.) | Hynd, H. (Accrington) | Robertson, John (Paisley) |
Butler, Mrs. Joyce (Wood Green) | Hynd, John (Attercliffe) | Rogers, G. H. R. (Kensington, N.) |
Cliffe, Michael | Irving, Sydney (Dartford) | Silverman, Sydney (Nelson) |
Grossman, R. H. S. | Janner, Sir Barnett | Skeffington, Arthur |
Darling, George | Jones, Elwyn (West Ham, S.) | Small, William |
Davies, Harold (Leek) | Kenyon, Clifford | Smith, Ellis (Stoke, S.) |
Dodds, Norman | Key, Rt. Hon. C. W. | Sorensen, R. W. |
Driberg, Tom | King, Dr. Horace | Soskice, Rt. Hon. Sir Frank |
Edelman, Maurice | Lawson, George | Steele, Thomas |
Edwards, Robert (Bilston) | Lee, Frederick (Newton) | Stross, Dr. Barnett (Stoke-on-Trent, C.) |
Evans, Albert | Lee, Miss Jennie (Cannock) | Taylor, John (West Lothian) |
Fletcher, Eric | Lewis, Arthur (West Ham, N.) | Thomas, George (Cardiff, W.) |
Foot, Michael (Ebbw Vale) | Lipton, Marcus | Thomson, G. M. (Dundee, E.) |
Fraser, Thomas (Hamilton) | Mabon, Dr. J. Dickson | Thorpe, Jeremy |
Gaitskell, Rt. Hon. Hugh | McCann, John | Ungoed-Thomas, Sir Lynn |
George, Lady Megan Lloyd (Crmrthn) | Mackie, John (Enfield, East) | Warbey, William |
Ginsburg, David | Mallalieu, E. L. (Brigg) | Wells, William (Walsall, N.) |
Gordon walker, Rt. Hon. P. C. | Marsh, Richard | Whitlock, William |
Gourlay, Harry | Mayhew, Christopher | Willey, Frederick |
Grimond, Rt. Hon. J. | Mendelson, J. J. | Williams, W. R. (Openshaw) |
Hale, Leslie (Oldham, W.) | Millan, Bruce | Wilson, Rt. Hon. Harold (Huyton) |
Hall, Rt. Hn. Glenvil (Colne Valley) | Mitchison, G. R. | Wyatt, Woodrow |
Hamilton, William (West Fife) | Oliver, G. H. | Zilliacus, K. |
Hannan, William | Oram, A. E. | |
Hayman, F. H. | Owen, Will | TELLERS FOR THE NOES: |
Herbison, Miss Margaret | Pannell, Charles (Leeds, W.) | Dr. Broughton and |
Holman, Percy | Peart, Frederick | Mr. Ifor Davies. |
§
Resolved.
That this House, at its rising Tomorrow, do adjourn till Tuesday, 23rd January.