§ Q1. Mr. Martenasked the Prime Minister what agreement he has reached with President Johnson about the extent to which Her Majesty's Government will give their support to the bombing of particular targets in Vietnam.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Wilson)I have fully explained to the 1435 House on a number of occasions our attitude on bombing in Vietnam.
§ Mr. MartenIf the Prime Minister is considering dissociating himself from any further American bombing of military targets, may I ask him to take no premature action or make no premature statements before the results of the bombing are known? Secondly, will he give an assurane that he will consult beforehand with the Australians and New Zealanders?
§ The Prime MinisterThe position on bombing was explained in the House on 21st December last after my discussions with President Johnson. What I said then still stands in relation to bombing of populated cities. I think that the hon. Gentleman can safely leave the conduct of my discussions with President Johnson to me.
§ Mr. WinnickIs the Prime Minister aware that opinion polls seem to show that there is more support for the Government's dissociation from the bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong than for the Tories' line of complete support for the Americans? Is the Prime Minister further aware that some of us would like to see an escalation of the dissociation from American policy in Vietnam?
§ The Prime MinisterMy reading of the public opinion polls leaves me in a state of some confusion. Apparently, public opinion is more favourable to the Government's policy on Vietnam than it was on the last occasion when the same questions were asked, but public opinion, according to the public opinion polls, seems less in support of American policy than it was.
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeIs it not quite clear, and does not the Prime Minister agree, that there has been no bombing of populated cities, and that this is clearly not intended from what the President of the United States has said? When the Prime Minister sees President Johnson will he assure him that the Anglo-American alliance will in future rest upon trust and not upon suspicion?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. The Anglo-American alliance does rest upon trust. [Interruption.] Much more so 1436 than at the time when the right hon. Gentleman spoke with two voices on the question of buses to Cuba. I know the difficulties that I have had to clear up arising out of that trouble. So far as the earlier part of the right hon. Gentleman's question is concerned, we made clear to the United States, and they understood this, that we are opposed to the bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong. That was and is our position.