COMPLAINT OF PRIVILEGE (Hansard, 24 January 1974)

§ Mr. Benn

I rise, Mr. Speaker, to raise a point of privilege of which I have given you previous notice.

I have today received a letter from Lovell White and King, acting for Aims of Industry, telling me that their clients have instructed them to commence proceedings in an action for libel and slander in respect of a speech made by me in October 1973 outside the House.

My reason for raising the matter as one of privilege is that in an earlier letter from the same solicitors, dated 1st November 1973, that firm of solicitors told me that, because the matter had come to their attention at a relatively late stage, they had been instructed not to institute proceedings forthwith but to seek my comments while reserving all their rights. The last paragraph of their letter of 1st November 1973 reads as follows: If any further defamation of our client is made by you, we must make it quite clear that we are instructed to commence proceedings and to seek damages. That letter was acknowledged on my behalf on 11th December and I made no public reference to Aims of Industry from that date, until I spoke last Thursday in the House on the Second Reading of the Companies Bill, as reported in col. 1030–31 of the OFFICIAL REPORT.

1904 The inference must be prima facie that this threat arises from that speech. Although the letter from the solicitors received this morning does not refer to that speech, the fact that they had previously told me that they had been instructed to commence proceedings if any further defamation of their client was made, and that the letter this morning came almost immediately after my speech in the House, necessarily raises the question whether Aims of Industry and its solicitors have committed a prima facie breach of privilege by deciding at this late stage to proceed against me.

I am therefore asking, Mr. Speaker, whether you will accord this complaint of privilege priority over the Orders of the Day so that the matter can be referred to the Committee of Privileges to allow it to seek evidence from Aims of Industry and from its solicitors on the point I have raised and to report to the House before any court proceedings can be initiated against me in this matter.