HC Deb 09 December 1975 vol 902 cc228-9
Q4. Mr. Cryer

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet the Lord Mayor of London.

The Prime Minister

On 12th December, Sir, when I shall be receiving the Honorary Freedom of the City.

Mr. Cryer

Does my right hon. Friend accept that it is repugnant to the majority of the trade union movement and the Labour movement to see a Labour Prime Minister receiving the Freedom of the City of London and attending dinners at such an institution? Does he further accept that a Socialist economy demands control of the huge funds now under the control of the City? Does he not feel that, far from accepting the Freedom of the City, he should be attempting to erode the last "rotten borough" in this country and to ensure that the funds controlled by the City are used by the people of this country in accordance with our manifesto in shifting the wealth of the country to working people?

The Prime Minister

I regard this matter as an honour. My hon. Friend refers to Labour Prime Ministers. I do not recall any of my hon. Friends criticising Clement Attlee on a similar occasion in 1953.

My hon. Friend talks about City funds. He will recognise that the City of London, as represented in Guildhall next Friday, is not the same as the particular financial institutions there.

My hon. Friend talks about dinners. The Lord Mayor of Bradford and her guests at the civic dinner at which I was entertained last week were very disappointed that my hon. Friend did not see fit to be present on that occasion.

Nevertheless, taking my hon. Friend's question in the same generous spirit in which he has put it, I assure him that when he receives the Freedom of the City of London I shall be the first to leap to congratulate him.

Mr. Tugendhat

Although, unfortunately, I have a prior engagement on 12th December and will not be able to be present when the Prime Minister receives his Freedom, may I assure him of the very great pleasure that his presence in the City will give to everyone, and how pleased the City is to receive him on many occasions? I am sure that the City benefits from his visits and that he will agree that he has, from time to time, benefited from the conversations and other exchanges of view that he has had in the City of London.

The Prime Minister

While thanking the hon. Gentlemen, I would be the first to say that I know that some of the speeches that I have made in the City—for example, the Guildhall speech—have not been universally acclaimed by those present or by the City as a whole.