§ Q7. Mr. Sillarsasked the Prime Minister if he will make a Ministerial broadcast dealing with the whole range of Government policies, on the evening of 31st December.
§ Q11. Mr. Kinnockasked the Prime Minister if he will make a Ministerial broadcast on 31st December.
§ Q12. Mr. Ashtonasked the Prime Minister whether he will make a Ministerial broadcast on 24th December.
§ The Prime MinisterI have nothing to add to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. John Fraser) on 26th November.—[Vol. 807, c. 608.]
§ Mr. SillarsIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, in anticipation of an affirmative reply, I was going to ask him to promise to introduce retrospective legislation to make his own election manifesto a legally binding agreement, so that the housewives could sue him for breach of promise?
§ The Prime MinisterIf the hon. Member were ever able to support a Government who had carried through so many of their promises as we have, he could be proud.
§ Mr. KinnockWould not the right hon. Gentleman reconsider his decision and take the opportunity provided by a television broadcast of explaining to old-age pensioners, homeless families—[Interruption.]—I am concerned, even if hon. Members opposite are not—and the low-paid what the term "national interest" means, in view of his continued refusal to do anything meaningful about inflation?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that the country will rapidly draw is own conclusion on the repeated insistence of hon. Gentlemen opposite that they have no concern whatever with the national interest.
§ Mr. AshtonIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that it is traditional for Ebenezer Scrooge to make an appearance on 24th December? Would it not be a good thing to produce the Ghosts of Christmas Present and Christmas Past, so that we can compare the two, and perhaps call on his Dickensian friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to play Mr. Beadle with regard to the Oliver Twist attitude he has expressed?
§ Mr. MuddWould not my right hon. Friend accept that his decision not to speak on 24th December is based on his religious observance of British holidays and that his ability to avoid 31st December is out of deference to not infringing a Scottish ritualistic habit?
§ Mr. EnglishIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that I thank him for his reply that he will not broadcast on 24th December, since it happens to be my birthday?