SOUTH AFRICAN CRICKET TOUR (Hansard, 13 May 1970)

§ Mr. Philip Noel-Baker
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 proposed South African cricket tour and the need for action by this honourable House to persuade the Cricket Council to withdraw its invitation and the further need, if necessary, for action by Her Majesty's Govern- 1250 ment to ensure that the tour shall not take place, in view of the grave effects on Commonwealth relations which it would produce, the serious racial tensions which it would cause in this country, and the intolerable burden which it would impose upon the police". This matter is urgent, Mr. Speaker. Soon after the Whitsun Recess the South African team will be here, if the invitation to it is not speedily withdrawn. Tomorrow is the last day when any useful discussion can take place.
The matter is specific. About 18 months ago the Prime Minister of South Arica forbade a cricket tour by an England team in his country on the sole ground that there was a coloured player in the England side. He thus brought politics into sport, politics in its most explosive and uncivilised form.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The right hon. Gentleman must not debate in detail the points that he would be able to make if his application should be successful.

§ Mr. Noel-Baker
I am trying to give the facts on which I base my appeal for leave to adjourn the House, Sir.
The South Africa team which has been invited is chosen on the principle ofapartheid, which violates the fundamental basis of world co-operation in international sport. If the tour goes forward it will mean that Britain accepts the principle ofapartheidin respect of cricket, which has been the greatest game in the Commonwealth for many years.
The matter is important. Last week, the Government of India officially announced in both Houses of its Parliament that no Indian team would come to the Commonwealth games in Edinburgh, if the tour takes place. India has since been joined by Malaysia, Ceylon and Singapore, while Pakistan has cancelled a tour of under-25 cricketers who were to visit this country in a few weeks' time. Last week, Jamaica announced that it would boycott the Edinburgh Games if the tour went on. Jamaica has since been joined by Barbados, Trinidad and Guyana.
Ten or 13 African Members of the Commonwealth have announced that they will send no teams to Edinburgh if the invitation to the South African cricketers is not withdrawn. This was officially confirmed this week by the Nigerian 1251 chairman of the Supreme African Council on Sport.
I submit that these decisions not only would destroy the Edinburgh Games but, if the tour goes on, would have a most disastrous long-term effect on Commonwealth relations.
The results in this country would be no less important and no less disastrous. Few people speak with such authority and few are so persuasive on race relations as the Bishop of Stepney.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The right hon. Gentleman is entering into a debate on the issues of the matter on which he is asking for a debate.

§ Mr. Noel-Baker
I am submitting, Mr. Speaker, that the tour will cause grave racial tension in this country and I quote the authority of Bishop Trevor Huddleston. Finally, I submit that the tour will impose an intolerable burden on the police.
I say, in conclusion, that if the Cricket Council was to listen to Parliament's appeal, that would be no humiliation. Indeed, everybody would honour it for accepting even at the last moment the necessity to face the facts.

§ Mr. Speaker
The right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mr. Philip Noel-Baker) was courteous enough to inform me that he might seek to ask leave to adjourn the House under Standing Order No. 9.
The right hon. Gentleman asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely, the proposed South African cricket tour and the need for action by this honourable House 1252 to persuade the Cricket Council to withdraw its invitation, and for the further need, if necessary, for action by Her Majesty's Government to ensure that the tour shall not take place in view of the grave effects on Commonwealth relations which it would produce, the serious racial tensions which it would cause in this country, and the intolerable burden which it would impose upon the police. I am satisfied that the matter raised by the right hon. Gentleman is proper to be discussed under Standing Order No. 9. Does the right hon. Gentleman have the leave of the House?

§ Mr. Speaker
The Motion for the Adjournment of the House will now stand over until the commencement of public business tomorrow, when a debate on the matter will take place for three hours, under paragraph 2 of Standing Order No. 9.