§ Q2. Mr. Stratton Millsasked the Prime Minister if he will advise the appointment of a deputy Prime Minister.
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State acts in this capacity when this is necessary, for example, because I am abroad.
§ Mr. Stratton MillsIs the Prime Minister aware that a de facto coalition exists and would not he regularise this by inviting the Leader of the Liberal Party to join his Cabinet as deputy Prime Minister? Is he aware of the arrangement that has been come to by which the Liberal Party will vote vigorously against the Second Reading of the Steel Bill and absent itself during the Committee stage?
§ The Prime MinisterI was not aware of any such suggestion. I had not thought of making such an invitation to the right hon. Gentleman. Frankly, we are not obsessed about the Liberals as are hon. Gentlemen opposite. I did, however, notice last week that the 1358 members of the Liberal Party were as confused and ill-informed about aviation as hon. Members on the other side of the House.
§ Mr. ThorpeHas the attention of the Prime Minister been drawn to the National Opinion Poll published in the Daily Mail today relating to the view taken of the leadership of, at any rate, the Conservative Party? Would not he agree that the future of that party and whether or not a deputy or indeed a successor to its leader should be found is a much more pressing and relevant issue?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir, but nothing that even the hon. Gentleman can say will destroy the unity with which we support the present incumbent.