§ Mr. Clinton Davis (Hackney, Central)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Towards the end our debate tonight I made a statement to the effect that the Solicitor-General had deliberately misled the House in that he was an officer of the Supreme Court. In my quest for justice for solicitors I was confused between solicitors who are officers of the Supreme Court and the position of the Solicitor-General. That is by the by.
I understand that my suggestion that he had deliberately misled the House has caused gross offence among certain hon. Members opposite. Therefore, while not resiling from the substance of my attack on the Solicitor-General, I would withdraw the word "deliberately "and substitute the word "inelegantly".
§ Mr. SpeakerThe House will be grateful to the hon. Gentleman. In the heat of the moment, Mr. Speaker had to rule, perhaps inaccurately, that the charge of deliberately misleading was a political charge. It went deeper than that, and I am sure that the House is grateful to the hon. Gentleman for withdrawing something which might have been regarded as being out of order.
§ Sir Harry Legge-Bourke (Isle of Ely)On a point of order. As it was I, among others, who raised this matter with you, Mr. Speaker, may I say that as long as hon. Members withdraw in the way in 752 which the hon. Member for Hackney, Central (Mr. Clinton Davis) has just withdrawn there is great hope for this Parliament.