SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDUSTRY AND TRADE (SPEECH) (Hansard, 2 June 1964)

§ Q4. Mr. Stonehouse
asked the Prime Minister whether the public speech of the Secretary of State for Industry and Trade at the opening of the British Week in Dusseldorf on Britain and the Common Market represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

§ The Prime Minister
Yes, Sir.

§ Mr. Stonehouse
Is the Prime Minister aware that the Secretary of State for Industry and Trade said that he regretted the failure of the negotiations to get Britain into Europe and that he told the Germans during his speech that Great Britain belongs to Europe and that her policies are those of a good European? Is not this a wholly parochial outlook in view of Great Britain's Commonwealth and worldwide responsibilities? If the Prime Minister agrees with him, does it imply that the Conservative Party are preparing to take Britain into Europe again on the same humiliating terms? Will the Prime Minister do some straight talking on this with the electorate?

§ The Prime Minister
A short time ago I offered to have a gramophone record made of my reply for the benefit of hon. Members opposite. My reply—and I repeat it once more to hon. Members 921 opposite—is this: we do not know what conditions there will be and we cannot anticipate whether any opportunity will come in future years to associate Britain more closely with the Six. Anyhow, Parliament would have to decide, if it did.

§ Mr. Ridley
Does not my right hon. Friend agree that the so-called five conditions of the Labour Party would, in fact, make it totally impossible for this country ever to join the Common Market?

§ The Prime Minister
I think that that is true.

§ Mr. Shinwell
Since the right hon. Gentleman has made an offer to produce a gramophone record of his speeches, may we in future have the gramophone instead of the right hon. Gentleman's presence?

§ The Prime Minister
I know that this is a machine age, but I think that is going too far.

§ Sir C. Osborne
Will the Prime Minister confirm that the more intelligent members of the Labour Party were great supporters of the movement for this country to join the Common Market?

§ Mr. G. Brown
In view of the right hon. Gentleman's reply to his hon. Friend the Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley), will he tell us which of the five conditions he rejects?

§ The Prime Minister
Not without notice.