HC Deb 13 June 1961 vol 642 cc217-20
Mr. Ellis Smith

I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9 to call attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the need for the House to consider, and, if necessary, to vote on, the urgent need to call a conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers before we are committed to the Common Market in any form. I know that I am not allowed to debate this matter now, but under the Standing Order a few observations may be made which may assist Mr. Speaker in giving his decision. Those observations I make as briefly as possible, as follows.

First, the Commonwealth has been as loyal as it could possibly be to the mother country, Britain. Therefore, before we embark on any negotiations which could have very serious repercussions there should be a Commonwealth conference so that, collectively, the Commonwealth can come to a decision rather than leave the position as the Prime Minister proposed. I am strengthened in that view by the Prime Minister's statement today.

Secondly, during the two world wars in which some of us have been involved, we found that members of the Commonwealth were ultra-loyal to the mother country. Therefore, we ought now to be loyal to the whole of the Commonwealth. In my view, this House should consider the matter before the Government embark on the negotiations which the Prime Minister is proposing.

It is for those reasons, Mr. Speaker, that I ask your permission to move the Adjournment of the House.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House to call attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the need for the House to consider, and, if necessary, to vote on, the urgent need to call a conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers before we are committed to the Common Market in any form. I regret that I cannot accede to that application.

Mr. Ellis Smith

I accept the decision, Mr. Speaker. We should all determine our actions by our own consciences and, remembering what took place—

Mr. Speaker

I am obliged to the hon. Member for courteously accepting my decision, but the consequence of his doing so is that we must now get on with other business.

Mr. Stonehouse

On a point of order. Mr. Speaker. We have had an announcement this afternoon on questions affecting, Britain's policy towards the Common Market, but some of us are still at a loss to understand exactly what the Prime Minister has said.

Therefore, I wish to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9 to call attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the refusal of the Prime Minister to reveal to the House details of the pre-conditions under which the United Kingdom would join the Common Market, in view of the grave public concern regarding the taking of decisions affecting United Kingdom sovereignty and the future of the Commonwealth. We were given to understand, in announcements made last night, that the Prime Minister would make a statement today about Great Britain's member- ship of the Common Market. In fact, the Prime Minister has absolutely refused to answer questions that have been put to him today in the House. In particular, he refused to answer—

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member may postulate refusal of information for the purpose of making his application, but he must not make the kind of speech now which he would be making if the application were to succeed.

Mr. Stonehouse

I submit that this question is urgent because the Prime Minister refused to answer the most important question put to him by my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Leicester, North-East (Sir L. Ungoed-Thomas), namely, whether the Government are accepting the political pre-conditions of membership of the European Economic Community. It is on that ground that I wish to submit to you that the House should be entitled to debate the question today.

Mr. Shinwell

Why has the Prime Minister run away?

Sir C. Osborne

He is not a spoilt child, like the right hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Shinwell).

Mr. Speaker

Order. Badinage very often represents selfishness in so far as it interferes with the proceedings of the House.

The hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. Stonehouse) asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9 to call attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the refusal of the Prime Minister to reveal to the House details of the pre-conditions under which the United Kingdom would join the Common Market, in view of the grave public concern regarding the taking of decisions affecting United Kingdom sovereignty and the future of the Commonwealth. I cannot, in accordance with precedent, accede to that application.