HC Deb 13 January 1977 vol 923 cc1657-8
Mr. Ridley

I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 9, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration; namely, the threat to freedom of the Press implicit in the Prime Minister's qualification of that freedom today in the words 'provided it is accurate'. The qualification is that the Press should only be free in so far as it prints what the Prime Minister considers to be accurate. This seems to be the first setting out of other qualifications and one which would effectively destroy the freedom of the Press.

I do not raise this matter in any spirit of levity, but it is fundamentally at the heart of human rights of the people of this country that they should have a free Press. Is it right that that free Press can be interrupted by strikers at The Times or by the Prime Minister's view of what is accurate?

If there is to be any meaning in this procedure of Standing Order No. 9 debate, there can be no more important subject for the House to turn to than consideration of the freedom of its Press. I submit that the matter should have priority over the business of the House tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter which he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely, the threat to the freedom of the Press implicit in the Prime Minister's qualification of that freedom today by the words 'provided it is accurate'. As the House knows, under Standing Order No. 9 I am directed to take into account the several factors set out in the Order but to give no reasons for my decision. I listened very carefully to the hon. Gentleman and I have to rule that his submission does not fall within the Standing Order, and therefore I cannot submit his application to the House.