HC Deb 15 March 1972 vol 833 cc541-5
Mr. Heffer

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I understand that in the early hours of this morning 60 homes were raided by the Special Branch, the members of which were investigating the I.R.A. bombing at Aldershot. I am informed that the homes of four members of a political group known as International Socialists were raided.

Apparently it was a dawn raid—it took place at 6.30 this morning—and among those raided were Mr. Frank Campbell, a building trades worker who lives in Fulham; Mr. David Widgery, who I understand is distantly related to Lord Widgery and lives in Dalston; Mr. John Palmer, a well-known journalist employed by The Guardian, who lives in Wembley; and someone who lives in Bristol.

No arms of any kind were found. However, in at least one case certain political documents were taken away and I gather that they included some names and addresses of supporters and members of the International Socialists. Particularly remarkable is the fact—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I do not want to interrupt the hon. Gentleman, but I trust that he intends to bring his remarks quickly within the ambit of a point of order.

Mr. Heffer

Yes, indeed, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate your ruling.

Will the Home Secretary or another member of the Government make a statement about this matter? Sixty homes were raided, not in Northern Ireland but in this country. Some of those concerned have made it absolutely clear in their writings that they are totally opposed to what happened at Aldershot and to the activities of the I.R.A. May we be assured that a statement will be made and that a discussion will take place on that statement? Is the Home Secretary—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I think I have allowed the hon. Gentleman to go as far as is reasonable in putting his point of order. All I can say in reply is that what he has said will no doubt have been noted by those with responsibility for these matters.

Mr. Pardoe

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. May I seek your advice on one matter? The hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Heffer) has raised on a point of order an extremely important issue of which I was cognisant. Indeed, I had intended, with your permission, to raise the subject by way of a Private Notice Question tomorrow. May I take it that a Private Notice Question on this subject will still be in order?

Mr. Speaker

If the hon. Gentleman decides to try to table one, I will give my decision at 12 noon tomorrow.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

Further to the point of order, Mr. Speaker. Nobody would wish to prevent the police from getting at the people who have committed a terrible political crime, but there is a point involved here which matters. Could we now have an assurance from the Leader of the House that he will communicate with his right hon. Friend and say that on this particular point there is concern? The two matters are disconnected, but could that be brought to the notice of his right hon. Friend.

The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. William Whitelaw)

The hon. Gentleman has very fairly put the point, as I understand it, that the two matters are disconnected. I will, of course, report to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary what he has said and what the House has said but I could not, of course, give any commitment because, as he fully appreciates, it is a technical matter.

Mr. Heffer

Mr. Speaker, in view of the fact that the Government cannot give an assurance that a statement will be made, 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 Special Branch raid on 60 houses in the early hours of this morning in connection with the I.R.A. bombing at Aldermaston.

An Hon. Member

Aldershot. [Laughter.]

Mr. Heffer

Aldershot. This is not a laughing matter. People's homes were raided in the early hours of this morning, in this country. No arms were found. In one case, the children of Mr. Campbell, a building worker—[Interruption.]

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Member will remember that he sought advice as to whether to raise this as a point of order. I understood that if he was allowed to raise it there would not be any application of this sort. If there is to be an application of this sort he must not go into the merits, but should deal with the reason why I should give this precedence over today's and tomorrow's business.

Mr. Heffer

I did not speak to you personally, Mr. Speaker; I spoke to your Secretary. I said that if no statement was to be made I would raise the matter under Standing Order No. 9. I am sorry if you have not been given that information. I do not want to mislead the House, or you, Mr. Speaker, or anyone else. I am not one who tells lies. I have not made any statement to the effect that I would not raise this matter under Standing Order No. 9, and the Secretary standing next to you knows perfectly well—[Interruption.]

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member can pursue his application but he must confine himself to the reason why it should have precedence.

Mr. Heffer

Mr. Speaker, this is an urgent matter, because the homes of a number of people who have absolutely no connection with the Aldershot bombing have been raided. In fact, they were bitterly opposed to what happened at Aldershot. Some of these people are in a group known as the International Socialists. They do not hold my views and I do not hold their views, but they have a right, within our democratic system, to express their views, like anyone else. [Interruption.] Mr. Speaker, I was informed by you, quite rightly, that I should not shout out from a sitting position. I trust that that applies equally to other hon. Members in this House.

Immediately after the Aldershot bombing, The Socialist Worker, which is the weekly journal of this organisation, had an article condemning the bombing, pointing out that they did not see it as in any way assisting the cause of a united Ireland or of a Socialist Ireland or of a working class policy. That was what they said; yet four of their members have been raided in the early hours of the morning, at 6.30, in their homes. They made it absolutely clear where they stand.

This is an urgent matter, Mr. Speaker, because it goes to the fundamental political liberties of the British people, and we should not, merely because this country and this Government are involved in a struggle against the I.R.A., resort to policies which are totally alien to the basic democratic rights, liberties and principles of the people of this country. I think this House regards this as a matter of very serious importance and as a specific issue.

I therefore ask that the application under Standing Order No. 9 be granted.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Heffer) has asked leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter which he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely, The Special Branch raid on 60 houses in the early hours of this morning in connection with the I.R.A. bombing at Aldershot. I completely disregard any possible misunderstanding earlier in the day between the hon. Gentleman and members of my staff, and I give my decision on the merits of his application.

Having given consideration to what has taken place today, I express no opinion on the substance of the application but from a procedural point of view I cannot give the application precedence over today's and tomorrow's business. The application is rejected.