§ Mr. SpeakerI wish to make a brief personal statement.
Yesterday, at column 899 in the OFFICIAL REPORT, I said:
… this Speaker is the most jealous protector of minorities for very many years."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 16th December, 1968; Vol. 775, c. 899.]This was an unfortunate remark. It could be taken as a reflection on previous Speakers and their treatment of minorities. The fact is that every Speaker for many years now has been the jealous protector of minorities in this House, and the present Speaker, no more and no less than his predecessors. This is not a virtue but a simple duty. Moreover the House itself, equally with Mr. Speaker, is the protector of the rights of minorities.I hope that the House will accept my sincere regret for having made yesterday an ill-considered comment.