HC Deb 07 February 1979 vol 962 cc397-9
Mr. Fitt

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 radio interview given by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in which he grossly misrepresented the views of the political parties in Northern Ireland which has led to a serious increase in tension in that area, endangering any prospect of future political progress under his authority. Last week the Secretary of State, the Shadow Secretary of State and myself, at different times, gave interviews to Independent Radio News, for a programme called "Decision Makers". That programme has been broadcast in various areas of the United Kingdom at different times. It was first broadcast on Sunday in London. People in Northern Ireland then heard of the context of it. It was broadcast on Monday in Northern Ireland, and I understand that it was broadcast in other parts of the United Kingdom.

During the course of his interview, the Secretary of State, on the basis of a very small, derisory number of people—fewer than 200—concerned in a poll which was taken for EEC purposes by the EEC, and which itself had been rejected by the EEC authorities as being completely unrepresentative of the political views in Northern Ireland, said as a result of the figures which that poll had gathered that it indicated the views of political parties in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State referred to the official Unionist Party as being the party of moderates in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Canavan

Disgraceful!

Mr. Fitt

The Secretary of State referred to my party, the Social Democratic and Labour Democratic Party, as going a little green, and he went on, by implication, to associate it with the party that is led by the hon. Member for Antrim, North (Rev. Ian Paisley), the Democratic Unionist Party. The Secretary of State said that we were extremists. Z

Mr. Stallard

How stupid can one get?

Mr. Fitt

This has caused a great deal of political tension in Northern Ireland. In view of the attitude that the Secretary of State has displayed, my party feels that it is completely unable to take part in any further discussions with that particular gentleman on the ground that he is now openly, avowedly and decidedly in the pocket of the official Unionist Party in Northern Ireland.

You, Mr. Speaker, will know the situation in Northern Ireland. For the very first time in Ireland, in each of the six national newspapers which were published yesterday, there was complete unanimity in saying that the Secretary of State, by his comments on this programme, had done untold damage to the political process in Northern Ireland. I make no comment on the opinion of the Secretary of State. However, I say to him that if he is to continue to make comments on the bona fides and the ideologies of political parties in Northern Ireland —[HON. MEMBERS: "Order."]—particularly my own, he is quite likely—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I believe that the hon. Gentleman is about to tell the House why we should have an emergency debate.

Mr. Fitt

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

I believe that policy on Northern Ireland should be decided in this House rather than in a radio studio. I believe that the Secretary of State should not be in a position to create further political tensions by openly supporting one political ideology in Northern Ireland.

I believe that it is important and indeed urgent that this House should have the opportunity to debate the attitude of the Secretary of State, the present Government and Parliament to see whether it is the Government's intention to bring the people of Northern Ireland together rather than to make speeches which are liable to bring untold disaster to that community.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Gentleman gave me notice before 12 noon that he would seek leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he believes should have urgent consideration, namely, the radio interview given by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in which he grossly misrepresented the views of the political parties in Northern Ireland which has led to a serious increase in tension in that area, endangering any prospect of future political progress under his authority. I listened with anxious care to the hon. Gentleman. As he knows, my powers are limited to deciding whether there should be an emergency debate, not whether the issue should be debated. I regret that I have to rule that the hon. Gentleman's submission does not fall within the provisions of the Standing Order, and therefore I cannot submit his application to the House.