§ Captain Ramsayasked the Prime Minister, in view of the fact that the term "Commonwealth" denotes an interregnum in British history, during which the country was under the dictatorship of a regicide, that it was immediately denounced in Scotland, and finally rejected by all Britain, whether he will discourage the application of the term to the British Empire.
§ The Prime MinisterThe term "British Commonwealth of Nations" has been generally accepted since the date of the Report of the Imperial Conference of 1926, associated with the name of Lord Balfour, as describing the relations of the self-governing parts of the British Empire. History takes very varying views both of the conduct of Oliver Cromwell and of Scotland during the tumultuous period referred to by the hon. and gallant Member. Even the name "Commonwealth" is used in very varying connections at the present time. I doubt very much whether any advance guidance on the subject can be obtained either from ancient or modern examples.