§ Mr. Prittasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will now make arrangements for the accrediting of a war correspondent on behalf of the "Daily Worker"; and, in particular, whether he will cause a reply to be sent to the letters sent by the editor of the "Daily Worker" to the Director of Public Relations on the 13th August, 4th September and 29th December, 1943.
§ Sir J. GriggIn view of the paramount importance of security measures in connection with military operations, His Majesty's Government are not prepared to accord special facilities to this newspaper which is the propagandist medium of the Communist Party of Great Britain. In recent times some of its members or adherents have shown that they are ready to subordinate the security of the State to the purposes of the Organisation. I have therefore caused a letter to be sent to the editor of the "Daily Worker" which reads as follows
It is desired to affirm the right to reject any candidate for the position of Accredited Correspondent to the Armed Forces without stating any reason. Such decisions are taken in the light of the overriding necessity to safeguard secret military information, and particularly that relating to future military operations.It is for these reasons that your candidates have been rejected in the past. The question has recently been considered again and you are hereby informed that no correspondent of the "Daily Worker" will be regarded as suitable for the position of Accredited Correspondent to the Armed Forces.Accredited Correspondents receive military information and facilities not available to other members of the Press or of the Public. Recent experience, drawn in part from the cases of D. F. Springhall and O. L. Uren, has made it clear that members and adherents of the Communist Party cannot be trusted not to communicate secret information to the Communist Party. It is in the light of this that the decision of His Majesty's Government has been taken.