HC Deb 22 January 1963 vol 670 cc36-7
Q3. Mr. Wyatt

asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his talks with President de Gaulle.

The Prime Minister

I would refer the hon. Member to the communique issued after my talks with President de Gaulle last month and to my subsequent public statements.

Mr. Wyatt

In view of President de Gaulle's current attitude towards our application to join the Common Market, would the Prime Minister consider convening a conference of the heads of all the six member countries—even if President de Gaulle declines to come—in order to consider what we should now do and what Europe wants us to do, because this matter ought not to be allowed to peter out at the eggs and bacon level?

The Prime Minister

The situation at present is that the meeting will be resumed on Monday next in Brussels. I think we must wait and see the result of that meeting.

Mr. M. Foot

Can the Prime Minister say why the declaration of President de Gaulle's attitude to Britain's attempt to get into the Common Market came as such a shock to the Government when it was previously known to everybody else?

The Prime Minister

It was because I assumed, and I think we had the right to assume both from the communiqué issued at that and at one of our previous meetings, that this matter was one for negotiation. Had it been a matter of principle that one of the Six did not wish us to join, in principle one would have thought that no one would wish to waste the time of all the Ministers concerned in a very long negotiation.

Mr. Thorpe

Would not the Prime Minister agree that it is a very simple case of President de Gaulle having changed his mind on the issue just as the Prime Minister has?

The Prime Minister

I am not quite so sure of that.