§ Q5. Mr. Grantasked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech at Huddersfield on 15th January, 1966, on the cost of living.
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir.
§ Mr. GrantI am most grateful to the Prime Minister for that reply. Does he recall that in his speech he said that there was no issue on which he would rather be challenged than the basic issue of the cost of living? As it has risen faster under this Government than at any time in the last 10 years, will he say when he will put his ludicrous boast to the test of the people?
§ The Prime MinisterIn that speech, which I hope the hon. Gentleman will study and profit by, I gave the figures of the cost of living over the previous six months for 1964 and 1965. I think that that speech was made about four or five days before a rather notable test of public opinion in another part of Yorkshire, where we were told the cost of living was the main issue. When I talked about a challenge, I said this in the speech:
On prices and incomes, half of them"—that is hon. Gentlemen opposite—condemn the idea of a policy at all, their deputy leader speaks out bravely in favour of one, and their leader remains silent.I would have thought that that was un-controversial.