HC Deb 17 May 1971 vol 817 cc910-4
Mr. Leadbitter

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 progress and nature of the Common Market negotiations, the threat to important interests in the developing countries, the increasing concern in the United Kingdom, and the need for Parliament to examine the possibility of a political commitment affecting the future of the people whose interests, rights and privileges it is the function of this House to protect. Nothing is more evident from the statements that we have heard in the last one-and-a-quarter hours that there is a need for the House to seek to reassert its authority over the Executive. It is my view that when matters are raised concerning people with whom we have an allegiance and moral obligation, and our own people, we should make it clear that the Executive is beginning to use language which is usurping the authority of Parliament.

I remind the House that no major political party has a mandate to take this country into the Common Market. The Conservative Party manifesto at the last General Election went no further than to say that the Tories were concerned solely with a commitment to negotiate, and their manifesto used the words "no more and no less" in regard to that commitment. The Labour Party made it clear that negotiations for entering the E.E.C. were provisionally determined by an acceptance of a plain commitment that the essential interests of this country and of the Commonwealth should be safeguarded.

I raise this matter at this stage not because there has been a determination to ignore Parliament—there has been sufficient questioning to show that our ability to raise these matters with Ministers has not been withheld—but because during the past few months there has been a fundamental change in the language used by the Government over this matter. We are no longer negotiating but accelerating the pace at which we are expecting to get in to the Market, if not at any price, then certainly in my view at a price which the Government have not been given authority to offer.

The language began to change last October, when the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said, on the 26th, that the lack of enthusiasm for entry among the British people was not a factor which should be regarded seriously. From then on it was the duty of the House of Commons to watch progress on this matter with great care, for if it was not a factor which the Government would regard seriously, our vigilance became imperative.

The House has debated this matter on only four occasions in the last six years. The last Common Market debate took place on 21st and 22nd January of this year. However, we were then debating the subject from a point of view quite different from the one in which I am raising it now, for I am now asking Parliament to become alert to the sort of attitude which the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is adopting. [Interruption.] That attitude is bound to put into the minds of back benchers a fear—

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Gentleman is going rather wide of the Motion. There is a convention that when speaking to a Motion of this nature hon. Members should restrict their remarks to the actual point of the submission.

Mr. Leadbitter

I appreciate that, Mr. Speaker. I must, however, point to the fear which is bound to be created in the minds of back benchers when right hon. Gentlemen opposite take the sort of attitude that the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is adopting.

The Government are, of course, expected to govern, but in a democracy like ours Parliament is expected to watch the Government with vigilance. It is not the function of Parliament to stand aside when matters of great moment are under consideration. It is not good enough for back benchers to wait until a three-line Whip is imposed to achieve the desired response. When no mandate exists to compromise the position of Parliament, our laws and our constitutional rights, the House of Commons and not the Government is supreme.

Parliament has been patient long enough. The language of negotiation has altered dramatically, even in the last few days. The pursuit of terms and safeguards on matters affecting Britain and the Commonwealth has changed course in terms of the language used when speaking of promises and understandings—[Interruption.]—and many of us feel that the moves of recent days—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I must protect the time of the House. I enjoy listening to the hon. Gentleman, but an important debate is due to begin and I must ask him to be brief.

Mr. Leadbitter

I accept your request for me to be brief, Mr. Speaker, but, with respect, I must remind you that it was not my fault that certain Ministers had to waste the time of the House. The matter which I am raising is of great importance to the nation. I am anxious not to delay the House, but, after all, I have been speaking for only two or three minutes—[Interruption.]—or maybe four or five—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I must tell the hon. Member that it is much nearer 10 minutes.

Mr. Leadbitter

That persuades me, Mr. Speaker, to follow your direction again and to seek to be briefer, because if I am approaching 10 minutes, that is the point at which I should be coming to a conclusion. I wish to be co-operative, but I do not want the House to feel that, by restricting my remarks too much, I am less concerned about the issue which I have brought before it.

I take the point that the Motion is specific. It deals with matters concerning the interests, rights and privileges of the people. It is specific in the sense that it deals with the increasing concern in the country and pinpoints a threat to important interests in the developing countries.

It is important in the sense that the stage management and euphoria of last week is, towards the end of this week, culminating with the meeting between the right hon. Gentleman the Prime Minister and President Pompidou. All of us have a sense of fear that the acceleration of movements is providing a commitment to the Common Market which we feel that those we represent are not willing to accept at this stage. The matter is urgent because during the next few weeks we may be asked to deal with a situation in the House when a political commitment has already been made.

Mr. Speaker, with those few words, and bearing in mind that I have had to cut short a good deal of what I wanted to say, and because in essence it deals with the whole way of life in this country, I ask that the Motion be considered favourably. I thank the House for giving me its attention.

Mr. Speaker

The 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 progress and nature of the Common Market negotiations, the threat to important interests in the developing countries, the increasing concern in the United Kingdom, and the need for Parliament to examine the possibility of a political commitment affecting the future of the people whose interests, rights and privileges it is the function of this House to protect. The hon. Gentleman was kind enough to give me notice of his intention to move the Motion.

As the House knows, under Standing Order No. 9, I am directed to take into account the various factors to which the hon. Member referred in his submission, but I am debarred from giving reasons for my decision. I have given careful consideration to the matter. I am aware of the deep interest which the hon. Member and many other hon. and right hon. Members feel in this matter and I have listened carefully to what the hon. Member had to say, but I have decided that I cannot submit his application to the House.

Mr. Paget

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I beg to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 9—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I have had notice of another application, which I will take first. Mr. Atkinson.