DEBATE IN COMMONS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 124, 10 March 1950, Page 3

DEBATE IN COMMONS

CONSERVATIVE AMENDMENT IRON AND STEEL BILL (N.Z.P. A.—Copyright) (Rec. 10.10) LONDON, March 9. Moving the Conservative amendment on iron and steel in the House of Commons this afternoon, Mr Oliver Lyttelton said the amendment had been put down in order to secure a promise from the Government that it would not make the vesting date under the Act earlier than nine months after next General Election, or give some equivalent undertaking.

Mr Lyttelton added: “For better or for worse, the amendment does not raise any question of repealing or tearing lip the Act. It was put- down to seek an assurance that the operation of the Act might be. subject to delay.” Mr Lyttelton said that if the Opposition had not put down, the amendment, every day the Government remained in power would have brought neaT an inevitable clash. No Government, on so exiguous a majority, hac. any right to put into force an Act so far-reaching that it would put an end to private enterprise. “Do not let the Government underrate the forces which have come to our aid over this very matter. We are glad to, know that the Liberal Party is in sympathy with the object of this amendment. We feel most strongly that the House of Lords has fulfilled an invaluable function in obliging the Government to seek an electoral mandate before this Act came into Force.”

Elbow Room

Mr Lyttelton said the Opposition did not expect the Government to abandon its advocacy on the nationalisation of iron and steel. “We wish to give the House as much elbow room for its legislative programme as we reasonably can. We seek to give the steel industry during this vital period of development and expanding production as long a run as possible without interruption and dislocation which must attend the process of nationalisation.”

The Minister of Supply, Mr George Strauss, said the Government looked upon the Opposition’ demand as “extraordinary, and could not accept it.” The Government did not propose to abandon the measure it believed essential for the maintenance of full • employment and the prosperity of the community. Mr Strauss added that because La- • bour did not receive a majority of votes, there was no constitutional ground for abandoning the operation of the measure.

Earlier to-day the deputy Prime Minister, Mr Herbert Morrison, said to-night’s vote Avas “an issue of confidence.” Mr Fenner Brockway (Labour) had asked if it were the Government’s vieAV that if the amendment on steel Avas carried it would he regarded as a vote of censure involving the Government’s resignation. Mr Morrison replied: “An amendment to the Address-in-Reply is a firstclass occasion, and therefore clearly everybody must understand that it involves the issue of confidence as far as the Government is concerned.”

GOVERNMENT - SURVIVES

CONSERVATIVE MOTION 8 DEFEATED

(Ree. 12.15 p.m.) LONDON, March 9. Britain’s new Labour Government to-night won its first Commons battle by defeating the Conservative motion of no-confidence with a majority of 14.

The House threw out the Opposition challenge on steel nationalisation by 310 votes to 296.

The Liberals, who have nine seats, voted against the Government. This searching test of Labour’s narrowestever majority saw the largest number of members in memory register the biggest vote since full parliamentary records began 12 decades ago. *

The mobilisation of the voting strength was nearly complete, with members squatting all around the Speaker’s dias and jammed elbow to elbow at the Bar at the opposite end. The Government front bench was so crowded that Ministers were practically sitting in each other’s laps. Mr Churchill, Who threw down the gauntlet for the Conservatives within a few days of the new Parliament taking life, arrived during the debate in evening dress. Every possible member rallied for the vote, many still wearing morning dress from ceremonies connected with the visit of the French President, M. Auriol.