MORRISON REPLIES

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24870, 9 May 1946, Page 5

MORRISON REPLIES

The Lord President of the Council, Mr Herbert Morrison, replying, said Mr Churchill forgot that 1946 was not 1936, and that things in Egypt were moving on. The Government would not have chosen this particular moment for treaty discussions, but the Egyptian Government had exercised its rights under the treaty, and Britain could not resist the right of discussion. Egypt sought three things—first, a decision in principle on withdrawal; second, a discussion into ways and means and the time of withdrawal; and third, the question of a future alliance including how military aid could be forthcoming. The first stage had been reached and the second and third would follow, Mr Morrison went on. The Government’s advice was that unless the principle of withdrawal was accepted there would be no favourable progress in the negotiations at all. This was the attitude not only of the Egyptian Government, but of the Egyptian people. If Britain refused to accept the principle she would have had to face the consequences. There would have been almost certainly disturbances, rioting, and possibly revolution. British forces would almost certainly have been attacked. There would have been active military operations, with Britain on the logical road to the military occupation of Egypt. Britain in such circumstances could not have expected sympathy from her friends in the civilised world. “We reluctantly agreed on the course announced by Mr Attlee because it is right in principle, and because it is expedient with the view of getting the best possible agreement.” There were cries of: “Why reluctantly?” Mr Morrison replied: “Certainly we did not rush to get out of Egypt, but we have to face the facts.” The Opposition motion for an adjournment on which the debate took 1 place was defeated by 327 votes to 158.