HC Deb 16 April 1970 vol 799 cc1566-7
26. Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he will not introduce legislation to change the electoral law to ensure that for the next General Election all ballot papers will contain in addition to the names of the candidates, a space for the electors to declare their support for the acceptance of entry into the Common Market without conditions, the rejection of entry into the Common Market on any conditions, and the entry into the Common Market on agreed and negotiated terms, respectively.

Mr. Callaghan

For the reasons given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in answering Questions on 25th November, 1969.—[Vol. 792, c. 199–200.]

Mr. Lewis

Since all the political parties claim that they want to obtain the views of the people on this thorny subject, surely this is the easiest, cheapest and quickest way of doing so, since we will have the result, and the figures which all the parties want, in 12 months?

Mr. Callaghan

Yes, but my hon. Friend will remember that the opinion of the House was tested on this matter——

Mr. Lewis

Not that of the public.

Mr. Callaghan

—as recently as 10th December, as to whether there should be a referendum, and the House decided against it.

Mrs. Ewing

Is it not a fact that the Government will hold referenda, as in Gibraltar, only when they know two things—first, the answer that they will get, and, second, that they will like the answer they get? Is it not the case that this Government know one of those two things—the answer which they will get—about the Common Market, but that they know that they will not like it and that that is why they will not have the referendum?

Mr. Callaghan

If the hon. Lady would care for a test-bed experiment in Scotland on the popularity of the Scottish Nationalist Party, that might be worthy of consideration.