HC Deb 29 November 1973 vol 865 c583
Q5. Mr. Ashton

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library a copy of his public speech to the Institute of Directors on 8th November on economic policies.

The Prime Minister

I did so on 8th November, Sir.

Mr. Ashton

Does the right hon. Gentleman remember saying in that speech : I can tell you from personal experience that explaining what it is all about is a very testing business"? Has the right hon. Gentleman read the speech of the right hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Mr. Powell) this morning in which the right hon. Member, whom I see entering the Chamber, fears for the Prime Minister's mental health and emotional stability? Has he any method of denying this? Can he give us the reassurance that the Government have not gone barmy?

The Prime Minister

I would have thought that the words of my right hon. Friend were belied by the three-and-a-half hours' valuable discussion I had with the miners yesterday.

Sir Harmar Nicholls

Was not the copyright for questioning the mental capacity of their leaders claimed by the Opposition last week, and ought they not to object to others infringing it?

The Prime Minister

It is rather difficult to disentangle who has disfranchised whom.