HC Deb 01 February 1966 vol 723 cc887-9
Mr. Mendelson

Mr. Speaker, I ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 9, for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the support expressed by Her Majesty's Government for the resumption of bombing attacks against North Vietnam by the United States Government at a time when new proposals were being considered to invite the United Nations to act as mediator, and the newly threatened escalation of the conflict into a major international war in which, through the existing system of alliances, the safety of this country and of Her Majesty's subjects would be directly involved. In my submission to you, Mr. Speaker, I shall confine myself entirely to the three points of order involved in any such application for leave and not go into the policy aspects of the matter.

First, I submit that it is a definite matter of Government responsibility by virtue of the fact that, late last night, the Foreign Office published an official statement saying, in part, Consequently, Her Majesty's Government understand and support the decision of the United States Government to resume the bombing which they had suspended … Second, I submit that there is here also an extremely urgent matter in view of new factors which have entered the situation surrounding the Vietnam conflict in the past few days. We have had new proposals put forward from highly responsible sources to the President of the United States and to the Secretary-General of the United Nations that the United Nations should be brought in as a mediator and that a committee of neutral nations should be set up to try to get the two sides to the conference table.

It is at this moment that the President of the United States has ordered the resumption of these bombing attacks, and the comment of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who is directly asked to implement these new proposals, is reported as follows: Secretary-General U Thant said today the resumption of the bombing of North Vietnam was likely to hamper diplomatic efforts to settle the conflict. I submit, therefore, that it is essential that the House of Commons debate this matter today, because within the next 48 hours the Secretary-General of the United Nations will proceed to consultations in carrying out this policy and trying to get a number of neutrals to act to bring the two sides together.

Third, I submit that the matter is of great public importance to the people of this country in that, through the system of alliances, we are automatically involved if, tragically—everyone wants to avoid it—the conflict were to escalate into a major international war. For this reason, it is at this stage, when we might still hope to influence events, that we ought to be heard.

A great deal has been said recently about the importance of Parliament and the danger to Parliament of always seeming to debate important events long after they have passed and never being allowed to raise its voice, through Members of the House of Commons, at a time when events might still be influenced by our counsel and by our advice. The Executive is always eager to push aside the desire of the House to debate events in time. This is to be resisted by the House of Commons, and it is essential that at this stage, today, if my submission be granted, the House of Commons should bring its mind to bear upon this policy, should have the Government explain their position, and, equally important, have the Government listen to Parliament.

Mr. Speaker

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for doing me the courtesy this morning of letting me know that he had it in mind to take some such step as he has now taken.

The hon. Gentleman seeks leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9 for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the support expressed by Her Majesty's Government for the resumption of bombing attacks against North Vietnam by the United States Government at a time when new proposals were being considered to invite the United Nations to act as mediator, and the newly threatened escalation of the conflict into a major international war in which, through the existing system of alliances, the safety of this country and of Her Majesty's subjects would be directly involved". I fully understand the hon. Gentleman's anxiety, but I could not hold this to be within the Standing Order except in defiance of precedent.

Motions are at present out of order where the responsibility of the Government is not directly and immediately involved, or where a foreign Government is more directly responsible. The Select Committee on Procedure in 1959 considered these circumstances and held that the rule might be unduly restrictive in matters of foreign affairs. Here I refer to page 34 of the Report made to the House on 19th February, 1959. The House, however, refrained from adopting that suggestion, and the Chair is, therefore, bound by a long series of Rulings enforcing the restriction to which I have drawn attention.

The House will recall that on 15th June, 1965, an hon. Member sought to raise the subject of Vietnam because of the alleged failure of the Government of the day … to take immediate action through the United Nations, to stop the new acts of war … in Vietnam . . in pursuance of the newly-announced decisions of the Government of the United States of America."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 15th June, 1965; Vol. 714, c. 249.] On that occasion, Mr. Speaker reminded the House that he was bound by precedent to disallow the application for lease to move the Adjournment. I must now give the same decision.