HC Deb 13 June 1968 vol 766 cc453-4
Mr. Gresham Cooke

I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 9, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely, the extension of the entry permit for the visit of Mr. Daniel Cohn-Bendit by 14 days. This matter is undoubtedly specific. That it is important is shown by the number of hon. Members who rose today to question the Home Secretary.

This man has become a student demagogue and has stirred up strife among university students in Paris, at the Sor-bonne, at Nanterre, at Amsterdam, at Frankfurt, the Saar and Strasbourg. Wherever he has addressed students, grave trouble has followed. He has been refused entry into France and Belgium and he told a British reporter in Paris: If we have to use paving stones to fight in order to take power, then we shall do so. The Wilson Government is not doing too well in England. Perhaps we will have a revolutionary movement there soon. His presence will undoubtedly cause breaches of the peace and possibly student riots.

There are 200,000 university students here in over 40 universities and in 14 days he could get around a number of universities making speeches which, in my opinion, will be pouring oil on an inflammatory situation. This is examination time for students and many parents and university authorities will be extremely concerned if his presence would disrupt the examinations now being taken by about a third of the students.

Lastly, the matter is urgent because by the time we debate it in the ordinary way, the 14 days will be up and the damage may be done. There is great feeling in the country against his extended visit and that feeling itself may lead to breaches of the peace. He has already blackmailed the B.B.C. into granting the 14 days' extension—

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Gentleman must not drift into the merits of the subject which he seeks to debate.

Mr. Gresham Cooke

I will not do that, Mr. Speaker.

Let me say that he has already used his student power to get his extension. The extension of his entry permit by 14 days is sufficient reason for the House to have an emergency debate on this controversial aspect of Government administration.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Gentleman asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9 for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter which he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely, the extension of the entry permit for the visit of Mr. Daniel Cohn-Bendit by 14 days. The House will remember that, under the revised Standing Order No. 9 agreed on 14th November, 1967, Mr. Speaker is directed to take into account the several factors set out in the Order but to give no reasons for his decision.

In the light of the new conditions, I must rule that the hon. Member's submission does not fall within the provisions of the revised Standing Order, and, therefore, I cannot submit his application to the House.