§ Q3. Mr. Winnickasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the present position with regard to the illegal régime in Southern Rhodesia.
§ The Prime MinisterI have nothing to add to the Answers I gave to Questions on 2nd July.—[Vol. 767, c. 1304–5.]
§ Mr. WinnickDoes my right hon. Friend agree that recent happenings in Salisbury seem to confirm Lord Alport's view that no further progress would be served by negotiating with the illegal régime? Would he confirm that it is, and remains, British policy that there shall be no independence in Rhodesia before majority rule?
§ The Prime MinisterSo far as recent events in Rhodesia are concerned, I think it is too early yet to draw any conclusion from them, whether as a result of the recent article by Lord Alport or in any other direction. In regard to our policy for Rhodesia, this is firmly rooted in the six principles and I have answered many times in this House about our position on Nibmar.
§ Mr. HeathAs the dismissal of Mr. Harper by Mr. Smith means at least a change in the balance of the men and the administration around Mr. Smith and also implies that Mr. Smith is resisting pressure to move further towards a republican constitution or towards racial discrimination, does not the Prime Minister consider that this is at least some indication that the moment has arrived when he should seriously consider the resumption of negotiations?
§ The Prime MinisterTo the extent that Mr. Smith has now got rid of Mr. Harper I agree that that is a welcome factor. There were a number of men around Mr. Smith who made him a prisoner. Mr. Harper was only one. The right hon. Gentleman will recognise that the "Tiger" agreement was sabotaged by people like Mr. Harper, and there were others. We will recognise that he voted in support of those who sabotaged that agreement.
§ Mr. HeathThe Prime Minister must not go on repeating a complete distortion of the truth about the debate on the "Tiger" talks. What I am putting to him now is that there is a firm indication that serious consideration should be given by the Prime Minister to the question of a resumption of negotiations. Unless the indications are accepted, the Prime Minister himself is a prisoner of his past.
§ The Prime MinisterIn so far as I or anyone in the House is a prisoner of anything on Rhodesia, it is that we are prisoner of the declarations made by both Governments about the six principles. I hope that the right hon. Gentleman similarly considers himself bound by those principles. On the general point the right hon. Gentleman has made, I agree that, to the extent that any group of men in Rhodesia capable of assuming the responsibilities of Government can show that they will not be pushed about by racialists and can show, as we insisted on the "Tiger", that the immediate future of Rhodesia must be a multi-racial Government, the omens look to that extent more hopeful. I think that that is what the right hon. Gentleman is indicating. On the other point about his vote, perhaps he would go back and study his Motion and the form of his vote.
§ Mr. ShinwellHas my right hon. Friend observed that Mr. Smith, like the 209 Leader of the Opposition here, has lost the support of his Right wing? Does not my right hon. Friend, in certain circumstances which seem to be prevalent, obtain some consolation from that fact?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that the differences between the two countries and between the two Parliamentary systems are such that it would not be helpful to draw exact comparisons. In so far as my right hon. Friend's interpretation of recent events is correct, I hope it will be true of both these party Leaders that they will free themselves of dependence on their racialists.