HC Deb 01 August 1972 vol 842 cc358-60

3.55 p.m.

Mr. Ronald Bray (Rossendale)

I beg to move That leave be given to bring in a Bill to proscribe the establishment of offices, depots, accommodation addresses or other addresses or locations within the United Kingdom, by any person or organisation whose declared intentions may prejudice, militate against or be in any way hostile to the United Kingdom and the safety of citizens of the United Kingdom or British Commonwealth. In recent months hon. Members and the British public have become increasingly aware of the apparent ease with which any organisation or person or group of persons whose aims are hostile or unfriendly to this country and the safety of the British people—and, for that matter, hostile to Commonwealth countries—may set up operational headquarters in the United Kingdom, raise funds and generally abuse the liberties of our democratic system, a system which has been evolved over the centuries by this country and is emulated by many countries both within and without the Commonwealth with whom we have friendly relations.

Currently, the position appears to be that anyone from anywhere can collect moneys for almost anything—good, bad or hostile—but as long as they do not directly participate in hostile activities, they are inviolate, particularly if they are British citizens. Organisations and people who conform to reasonable and recognisable standards of behaviour within the country are welcome here but, to use an emotive phrase, if they become vipers in our bosom they are unwelcome. I have no time for British people who owe no allegiance to their native land. I have little time for those who come here as aliens and abuse the hospitality of this country, as some are doing.

In recent weeks hon. Members on both sides of the House have been asking questions and showing extreme concern about the proposal to set up an office in London by the Palestine Liberation Organisation, which openly boasts of having been responsible for the massacre in Tel Aviv, when 26 civilians were killed and 78 wounded. I have here a list of 28 other incidents in which this organisation has been involved during the last four years.

These activities extend over Europe and the Middle East, two of them being in London. One was the placing of an incendiary bomb in Marks and Spencer; the other was the wounding of an employee of an Israeli shipping line by a grenade. In other incidents on my list citizens of the British Commonwealth were held at risk and their lives endangered. During the four years from July, 1968, 103 people have been killed by this organisation, 288 have been injured and 400 people have been involved in three major instances of the hijacking of planes belonging to BOAC, Pan American Airways and Trans World Airlines.

This organisation does not operate in isolation. I learn from the New York Times of 15th July, 1972, and the Daily Telegraph of the same date that an organisation operating in conjunction with the Palestine Liberation Organisation centred in Zurich co-ordinates the activities of the Palestine Liberation Organisation with those of the Irish Republican Army and the Tupamaros of Uruguay who were responsible for the kidnapping of Sir Geoffrey Jackson. Branches known as the Red Guard also operate in Tokyo, and there are branches in other parts of the world.

The aims of these organisations are hostile to the British way of life, but as the law stands there is nothing to prevent them establishing themselves in this country and setting up offices.

The intentions of the Bill are as set out in the preamble; namely, to proscribe the organisations and persons involved in these hostile activities, to impose penalties on those involved, and to make certain types of activity, such as fund raising for those activities, illegal. Moneys collected would be impounded and refunded to donors upon suitable proof being produced. I submit that a Bill to prevent this country becoming a haven for revolutionary activities is essential and I seek the leave of the House to bring in the Proscribed Organisations and Persons Bill.

Question put and agreed to.

Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. Bray, Mr. James Allason, Mr. Biggs-Davison, Mr. Sydney Chapman, Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg, Mr. Ralph Howell, Mr. Carol Mather, Mr. Ray Mawby, Mrs. Monks and Mr. Soref.