§ Mr. John Fraser (Norwood)I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 10, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely,
the upholding of the surcharge on Lambeth and Liverpool councillors".Just over an hour ago, the High Court upheld the surcharge on over 70 councillors in Lambeth and Liverpool; in consequence, subject to appeal, they could be disqualified from holding office. This latest episode in the Rates Act vendetta has been a sort of political St. Valentine's day massacre, with the possibility not only of 70 Lambeth and Liverpool councillors but of many others being disqualified. I hope that it is self-evident that the matter is specific and important. It means that an unacceptable price will be paid for dissent, and the loss of political rights is alien to our traditions.The matter is very important because, depending upon the accidents of time, it is possible that the disqualification will take place in the middle of the campaign for the May elections, so it is not simply a matter of a penalty being imposed on those councillors; it also affects the conduct of municipal elections due to take place in May this year. Not only will those councillors be affected, but it is possible that hundreds of other councillors in about a dozen local authorities throughout the country will be similarly affected if the district auditor takes a similar view to them as he has taken to those in Lambeth and Liverpool.
If this were a matter that affected Ministers or civil servants, an Act of indemnity would be presented immediately to the House. The effect on individual councillors and on the conduct of the elections in May is such that the matter should take precedence over the Orders of the Day. I submit my application for your consideration, Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser) asks 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 upholding of the surcharge on Lambeth and Liverpool councillors".I listened with care to what the hon. Gentleman said , but I regret that I do not consider that the matter that he raised is appropriate for discussion under Standing Order No. 10. I cannot, therefore, submit his application to the House, but I am sure that he will find other parliamentary ways of bringing it into our discussions.