HL Deb 25 June 1979 vol 400 cc1318-9WA
Lord CHITNIS

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they know what facilities were accorded in the recent Rhodesian election campaign for those who wished to counsel abstention from voting, on the grounds that to vote might be taken as signifying approval of the internal settlement, publicly to advocate their view.

Lord CARRINGTON

The Government have been guided by the report of Lord Boyd. Lord Boyd noted that no coherent and legal campaign took place to persuade people to refrain from voting, though he and his colleagues also expressed the view that the Administration might actively have discouraged such a campaign. Taking account of the views of the very large number of people who voted, Lord Boyd's broad conclusions were that the election was fair, in the sense that the electoral machinery was fairly conducted, and that it was as free as was possible in the circumstances.