§ Mr. SpeakerI have read the following report in yesterday's HANSARD:
Order. If the hon. Member for Cornwall, North (Mr. Pardoe) has a further point of order, he may raise it later. Mr. Short.MR. PARDOE: Disgraceful. [Hon Members: "Oh!"] We have a two-party Speaker."— [OFFICIAL REPORT, 18th March 1973; Vol. 870, c. 795.]In the prevailing noise, I did not hear that remark. If I had heard it, I would have asked the hon. Member to withdraw it, and, if he had not, I would have taken appropriate steps. There are clearly defined ways of criticising the conduct of the Chair, and that is not one of them.
§ Mr. PardoeI, too, noticed that the HANSARD reporters, with their usual acute hearing, had detected those words, and I did indeed utter them. They arose from the anger and passions which exist within a minority party when confronted with certain rules of the House. I understand perfectly well that anger should be vented on the system and not on the referee. I hope, therefore, Mr. Speaker, that you will accept my request to withdraw any personal reference to you or to the Chair.
§ Mr. SpeakerI accept the hon. Gentleman's statement, and that, as far as I am concerned, is the end of it.
So far as procedural matters are involved, these require examination and I am considering them carefully.
As to the implication about not protecting minorities, I would inform the House that during the debate on the Gracious Speech I called three-sevenths of the Liberal Party, three-elevenths of the United Ulster Unionists, four-sevenths of the Scottish National Party, 100 per cent. of Plaid Cymru and one independent.