HC Deb 18 February 1980 vol 979 cc46-7
Mr. Stokes

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 intention of steel pickets from South Yorkshire to switch their mass demonstrations today to the other main private steel companies still in production, such as the Sheerness Steel Company, Manchester Steels, steel companies in West Bromwich and in Birkenhead, and so on, and in the words of Mr. Edward Thorne, secretary of the Yorkshire divisional strike committee, 'to shut all engineering industry down in this country'. I submit, Mr Speaker, that this is a specific matter because a threat has actually been made and is now in process of being carried out. Special coaches and buses are conveying the flying pickets to their destinations.

It is an important matter because, judging by the success of the mob demonstrations outside Hadfields last week, it will place intolerable strains on the police, the rule of law will be broken by violence and intimidation, and ordinary work-people will be forcibly prevented from attending their place of work.

Finally, I submit that the matter is urgent because, if this sort of lawless behaviour by flying pickets is allowed to continue without comment or judgment by this House, we shall be looked upon with contempt by our constituents and we shall be failing in our duty to keep the Queen's peace under the existing law and to support the chief constables concerned.

These pickets are not acting peacefully or in pursuance of a trade dispute. They are attempting nothing less than to subvert the social order of this country and to compel the Government to give in to their demands.

My noble Friend Lord Hailsham, the Lord Chancellor, has said that even under the law in the emasculated state in which the Labour Party has left it intimidation is illegal. He has said: the events at Hadfields a few days ago and at Grunwick last year had been breaches not only of the civil but of the criminal law. Intimidation is unlawful. Violence can amount to an affray. Violence causing fear in the minds of a reasonably stout heart can be an unlawful assembly. Those are the words of the Lord Chancellor. I cannot believe that this House will wish this sort of continuing anarchy to go on without debate here.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member for Halesowen and Stourbridge (Mr. Stokes) gave me notice before 12 noon today 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 intention of steel pickets from South Yorkshire to switch their mass demonstrations today to the other main private steel companies still in production, such as the Sheerness Steel Company, Manchester Steels, steel companies in West Bromwich and in Birkenhead, and so on, and in the words of Mr. Edward Thorne, secretary of the Yorkshire divisional strike committee, 'to shut all engineering industry down in this country'. I listened with great and real concern to the hon. Gentleman, as I am quite sure the House did. There is no doubt that he has raised a very important matter. I have to take into account the many factors set out in the Order but to give no reasons for my decision. Although I rule that the hon. Gentleman's submission does not fall within the provisions of the Standing Order, I say that that applies to today. Therefore, I cannot submit his application to the House today.