HC Deb 28 April 1969 vol 782 cc931-2
35. Mr. Hugh Jenkins

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will propose that the existence of a constitution with full adult franchise shall be a condition of membership of the Commonwealth.

Mr. Foley

No, Sir. There are no formal conditions for membership of the Commonwealth, and any attempt to introduce these would be inconsistent with the basis of the Commonwealth association.

Mr. Jenkins

Does my hon. Friend really say that the present condition for membership of the Commonwealth is satisfactory in practice? Is it not the case that the Commonwealth has decided that South Africa is incompatible with membership? What about Guyana? Is not the present Prime Minister of that country gerrymandering for office? Is this a satisfactory condition of membership of the Commonwealth?

Mr. Foley

Membership of the Commonwealth is a matter for the Commonwealth as a whole. In 1961 South Africa withdrew voluntarily from the Commonwealth; she was not expelled. The constitution of any member of the Commonwealth is a matter for the Government of that member country and her people, and is not suitable for discussion within the framework of the Commonwealth.

Sir F. Bennett

Leaving aside the unjustifiable slur on the Prime Minister of Guyana, may I ask the hon. Gentleman whether he would not agree that as adult franchise is important, so is the legal existence of a free opposition? If we were to apply that test, the Commonwealth would be very thin on the ground indeed.

Mr. Foley

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to paragraph 38 of the communiqué of the conference of Prime Ministers this year.