§ 3.22 p.m.
§ Lord Belstead rose to move, That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty as follows —
§ Most Gracious Sovereign,
§ We, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, welcome this occasion to commemorate and celebrate with Your Majesty and with members of the House of Commons the anniversary of the glorious Revolution of 1688 and the occasion on which the Prince and Princess of Orange were declared Joint Sovereigns of these Islands. By their acceptance of the Declaration of Rights, presented to them on the 13th of February 1689 in the Banqueting House in Whitehall, subsequently enacted by the Bill of Rights; and by their assent to the Claim of Right of Scotland, their late Majesties King William and Queen Mary concluded a solemn compact with their people; thereby were vindicated and asserted the ancient rights and liberties of the dutiful and loyal subjects of Your Majesty's predecessors.
§ In consequence of this deliverance from arbitrary power and affirmation of the people's rights, this nation has, since 1688, enjoyed security under a constitutional monarchy. The experience of three hundred years has shown that it is the Crown in Parliament which guarantees the liberty of the subject and upholds the rule of law. Our Parliament, consisting of Crown, Lords and Commons, has proved enduring and has provided an example to those nations overseas which have chosen to regulate their affairs in freedom by means of parliamentary government. Since that time, Your Majesty's Royal Predecessors have adhered to the spirit underlying the Coronation Oath taken by his late Majesty King William to govern "according to the statutes in parliament agreed upon, and the laws and customs of the same", and have thereby made it possible for parliamentary and democratic government to evolve within Parliament without interruption and without recourse to violent revolution. For this we give thanks to Almighty God and we pray that we and those who come after us may continue to enjoy for many years the blessing of freedom under the law safeguarded by the protection of the Crown.
§ The noble Lord said: Perhaps I may say a word or two about the arrangements for presenting this 395 Address to her Majesty. It is intended that the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor, as Speaker of the House, should present the Address on Wednesday 20th July at 11 a.m. in Westminster Hall. The Speaker of the House of Commons will present a similar Address on behalf of Members of another place.
§ Your Lordships' House will meet for prayers at 10 a.m. on 20th July and will then adjourn to Westminster Hall. Peers and their spouses who have applied for tickets will proceed in their own time to Westminster Hall where they should be seated by 10.30 a.m. They may enter Westminster Hall through St. Stephens Hall. The House will wish to know that presiding officers of Upper Houses of Commonwealth Parliaments will accompany the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor in procession to Westminster Hall.
§ Delegations from the United States of America and the Netherlands have also been invited to the ceremony as special guests in view of the close historical connections of those two countries with the revolution and the Bill of Rights. The delegation from the United States of America, designated by Congress, consists of representatives from the William and Mary College, Virginia. The Dutch delegation consists of the presiding officers and clerks of the Dutch Parliament.
§ Moved, That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty.—[Lord Belstead]
§ 3.24 p.m.
§ Lord Cledwyn of PenrhosMy Lords, this anniversary of the glorious Revolution is one of the few historical dates which are engraved on the public mind. It is of special importance for us because of its profound parliamentary significance.
We are all grateful to the noble Lord the Leader of the House for outlining the arrangements for the celebration which we wholeheartedly support. I should like to make three short points. First, I should like to congratulate those who have arranged the exhibition in the Banqueting House. It is a most impressive and edifying display in historic surroundings. I hope that all of us will pay it a visit. Secondly, I should like to thank Mr. David Jones, the Deputy Librarian of the House, for his parliamentary history of the glorious Revolution published in the past few days to coincide with the anniversary. The records of debates in the House 300 years ago are revealing and interesting. Incidentally, I noted that a sitting which lasted until 8 p.m. was regarded as very late, notwithstanding the crisis.
Lastly, on behalf of all of us, I should like to thank the noble Lord, Lord Pym, the chairman, and other noble Lords on the Tercentenary Advisory Committee who have worked assiduously and successfully over the past two years to co-ordinate all these arrangements. It gives me great pleasure to support this admirably drafted Motion.
§ Lord Jenkins of HillheadMy Lords, I join with the noble Lord, Lord Cledwyn, in congratulating all 396 those who have been concerned with the arrangements, and particularly the noble Lord, Lord Pym, for the leadership he has given through his chairmanship.
Three hundred years of peace, in England and Wales at least, is a subject for congratulations. We join most heartily in expressing them. We support the humble Address and the steadfast constitutionalism exhibited on a basis of a broadening democracy by 13 successive British sovereigns who have played their part in upholding the rule of law.
It should nonetheless be borne in mind that the settlement of 1689 was essentially a settlement to safeguard the rights of Parliament against a Crown rather than of the individual against either Crown or Parliament. It does not, as the Motion is a little inclined to imply, mean that our constitution is either perfect in safeguarding such rights or manifestly superior to constitutions elsewhere in the world.
§ Baroness StedmanMy Lords, from these Benches we should also like to endorse the sentiments expressed in the humble Address and to offer our thanks to the noble Lord, Lord Pym, and his colleagues for the excellent arrangements that they have made. As a nation, we owe so much to the events of 1688 and 1689—our constitutional monarchy, our democracy, our religious tolerance and the parliamentary rights safeguarding the rights and freedoms of the citizens of this land. For all those things, we have every reason to be grateful and to have cause for celebration.
§ Baroness Hylton-FosterMy Lords, I should like to associate those who sit on the Cross Benches with everything that has been said by the Leader of the House and the Leaders of the Opposition. It is particularly fitting that this House should play its full part in the tercentenary celebrations in view of the distinguished role of the House of Lords in bringing the events of 1688 and 1689 to such a successful conclusion.
§ The Lord Bishop of LondonMy Lords, perhaps I may associate those who sit on these Benches with what has already been said and express our appreciation of the arrangements which have been made and of the exhibition which has been provided.
I wish to make one comment; namely; it is the tradition of this county deriving from the ancient civilisations in the West that we live under the law and yet with our own freedom. I believe it is that combination of living with freedom under the law which was preserved on this occasion. That is something for which we should be extremely thankful. Therefore, it is right to express our gratitude at this time.
§ Lord BelsteadMy Lords, perhaps I may thank those noble Lords who have responded to the Motion, as well as the noble Baroness and the right reverend Prelate. I should also like to associate myself with the thanks which have been given by your Lordships to my noble friend, Lord Pym, and the other Members of your Lordships' House who were on the Tercentenary Advisory Committee. They 397 were: the noble Lord, Lord Blake, the noble and learned Lords, Lord Elwyn-Jones and Lord Fraser of Tullybelton, the noble Lords, Lord Henderson of Brompton, Lord Jenkins of Hillhead, Lord Thomas of Swynnerton and Lord Whaddon, as well as my noble friend Lord Pym.
Once again I beg to move that a humble Address he presented to Her Majesty.
On Question, Motion agreed to nemine dissentiente; and the same was ordered to be presented to Her Majesty by the Whole House; and the Lords with White Staves were ordered to wait on Her Majesty to know when Her Majesty would be pleased to appoint to be attended with the said Address, and whether Her Majesty would be pleased to permit Presiding Officers of Upper Houses of Commonwealth Parliaments to accompany this House in attending Her Majesty.