QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE (Hansard, 17 November 1976)

§ Sir Paul Bryan
The question of privilege which I wish to submit to you, Mr. Speaker, has much in common with that raised by the hon. Member for Paddington (Mr. Latham) yesterday. You may therefore find it convenient to consider the two cases together.
I refer to a Press handout widely reported in today's newspapers and released yesterday by the Socialist Democratic Alliance which describes itself as Labour's moderate grass-roots organisation". In Chapter 10 of "Erskine May" there is included among the breaches of privilege and contempts listed on page 153: Reflections on the motives of a Member or a group of Members". The document issued yesterday must qualify time and again under that description. The handout is entitled "Labour's Fifth Column". It describes itself as "A documented study". Its first three pages are not strictly relevant to my case in that they deal with such extra-parliamentary bodies as the National Executive Committee and the trade union leadership.
I turn straight to page 4 where under the heading "Parliamentary Labour Party" one reads—and I shall quote in full since I am advised that you can take account only of what is actually read out in the House, Mr. Speaker—as follows: It is sad for democrats in the Labour Party to have to face the fact that many of the political sympathies displayed by members of the NEC and top trade union leaders are also reflected amongst Labour Members of Parliament. We do not argue, as did George Orwell over 30 years ago, that there are 'underground Communists' in Parliament. We do however argue that there are Labour Members of Parliament whose views and actions would lead a reasonable man to believe that they have sympathies with the varying shades of totalitarian communism. Indeed, Sir Harold Wilson was more specific. He argued, in an interview in The Times (2 Aug., 1976) that the Tribune Group of Labour M.Ps was very different today than it was in Nye Bevan's time. Incredibly and significantly he went on to allege that 'different forms of what are called Neo-Trotskyites, and Marcusism, and Maoism, IS (International Socialists) and all the rest.. some of those are represented in the House'. 1337 This is a very serious allegation by a former Leader of our Party. We in the SDA do not know who the Maoist, IS, or Neo-Trotskyite MPs may be. Nevertheless, we feel that Sir Harold should tell us. For our part the SDA intends to be more judicious and precise. We believe that Labour MPs should draw a clear distinction between democratic socialism, as we have known it in Britain, and ideas and organisations of the marxist totalitarian left. THEY SHOULD, IN OUR VIEW, NOT WRITE FOR, NOR CALL FOR FINANCIAL. ASSISTANCE FOR, NOR SPEAK AT THE RALLIES OF, THE COMMUNIST MORNING STAR; NOR SHOULD THEY WRITE FOR OR SUPPORT THE COMMUNIST PUBLICATION LABOUR MONTHLY; NOR SHOULD THEY ASSOCIATE THEMSELVES WITH COMMUNIST FRONT ORGANISATIONS LIKE THE WORLD PEACE CONGRESS; NOR SHOULD THEY ASSOCIATE THEMSELVES WITH TROTSKYITE AND NEO-TROTSKYITE ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS THE INSTITUTE FOR WORKERS' CONTROL.
The following Labour M.Ps, all of them intelligent enough to understand how their actions may be interpreted, have nevertheless chosen"—

§ Mr. English
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. We cannot have two Members on their feet at the same time, and I count as one. I must tell the hon. Gentleman that the hon. Member for Howden (Sir P. Bryan) is speaking on a point of order. It is a point of privilege.

§ Sir P. Bryan
The document continues: The following Labour M.P.s, all of them intelligent enough to understand how their actions may be interpreted, have nevertheless chosen to ignore these precepts: Miss Joan Maynard, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Mr. Norman Atkinson, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Mr. Sydney Bidwell, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Mrs. Renée Short, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Mrs. Judith Hart, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Mr Russell Kerr, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Mr. Frank Allaun, MP"— 1338 [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Miss Jo Richardson, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Mr. Douglas Hoyle, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Mr. Stan Newens, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Mr. Roy Hughes, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Mr. Eric Heffer, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Mrs. Audrey Wise, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Mr. Julius Silverman, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Mrs. Lena Jeger, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Mr. Denis Skinner, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Millie Miller, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Neil Kinnock, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Harry Selby, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]—

§ Mr Speaker
Order.

§ Sir P. Bryan
John Mendelson, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS "Hear, hear."]— William Wilson, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Tom Swain, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Tom Litterick, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— James Lamond, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I appeal to hon. Members to be quiet or they will not know whether their names are there.

§ Sir P. Bryan
I will continue: Richard Kelley, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Dan Jones, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Alec Jones, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Eddie Loyden, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— 1339 Gwilym Roberts, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Ian Mikardo, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Michael Foot, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Stan Orme, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— Tony Benn, MP"— [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."]— CONCLUSION: We believe that all these developments mentioned above, within the NEC, amongst trade union leaders, and in the PLP, provide evidence of a devastating shift of allegiance from democracy towards totalitarian leftism within a major wing of our party. Jim Callaghan, as Leader, should insist that fraternisation between the NEC and Communist Parties, both at home and abroad, should stop. He should condemn the party to party contacts mentioned above. He should demand of the 33 MPs mentioned that they cease to write or lend aid and comfort to Communist or Trotskyite organisations and newspapers. He should instruct the members of his Cabinet named above to do likewise. He should insist that Mr. Jones retract his appalling words in Moscow. The document speaks for itself, Mr. Speaker. I await your ruling.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I have listened carefully to the submission by the hon. Member for Howden (Sir P. Bryan). I note in particular that he suggests that, in his view, his complaint has much in common with the complaint made yesterday by the hon. Member for Paddington (Mr. Latham) and that in consequence it might be convenient to consider the two cases together. I cannot do that.
Questions of privilege are of such formal importance to the House that no occupant of the Chair ought to depart from the acknowledged practice. Therefore, I shall rule upon the hon. Gentleman's complaint tomorrow.