Mr. Astorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any statement to make on the recent entry into the British vice-consulate at Zaragoza of a gang of armed men in Falangist uniform who assaulted the vice-consul and his lady assistant; what steps His Majesty's Government have taken to protest against this outrage; and whether an apology has been obtained and the culprits punished?
§ Mr. George HallI regret to say that the facts are substantially as my hon. Friend has stated. His Majesty's Ambassador at once made a vigorous protest to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanding an apology for the outrage and punishment of the culprits. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has replied expressing the regret of the Spanish Government and stating that urgent instructions have been given not only as regards the punishment of the culprits but also the prevention of a repetition of such incidents. The Ministry's note proceeded, however, to claim that the incidents which had occurred were to be attributed neither to the Falangist Party nor to the Spanish, Government and that the directors of a political party whether in power or not could not be made responsible for all and every act carried out by any of its members.
His Majesty's Ambassador has been instructed to reply that His Majesty's Government, while noting the expression of regret and that the guilty will be punished, cannot accept the disclaimer of responsibility referred to above or accept the view that the Spanish Government is not responsible for the protection of the British Vice-Consulate duly recognised by the Spanish Government against ruffians wearing the uniform of an official party.