BRITISH POLICY ON EGYPT

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26488, 1 August 1951, Page 7

BRITISH POLICY ON EGYPT

CLASHES IN COMMONS LONDON, July 30. Mr Churchill to-day clashed with the Foreign Secretary (Mr Herbert Morrison) and Mr Attlee after Mr Morrison had given the House of Commons a review of Britain’* Middle East policy. Mr Churchill at one stage referred to Mr Morrison's “distorted, twisted, and malevolent mind” and later accused the Government of responsibility for the loss of half a million lives in Palestine fighting. Mr Morrison, reviewing Britain’s Objectives in the Middle East, invited Egypt to join in an equal partnership In a common effort to make the world safe. The stability of the Middle East rested on friendship and co-operation between Britain and Egypt in those field* in which they had common intdrest*. he said. Britain had tried to understand Egypt’s position, but her patience had not always been reciprocated, and she was still faced with uncompromising demands, he said. He regretted that Egypt had not modified her restrictions on shipping through the Suez Canal. “This irresponsible action on the part of Egypt is causing at least as much damage and distress to innocent third parties as it is to the intended victims” Mr Churchill, replying to the Foreign Secretary's speech, said he had treated the House to “an able and agreeable parade of bland truisms and platitudes.” Mr Churchill said that in the Middle East, Britain’s relations with Egypt were of first importance. At the end of the war it was calculated that Britain had spent £400,000,000 to protect Egypt from aggression. Tne National Government had always reserved the right to present counterclaims against Egypt for these service*, yet to-day Britain wa* being pedadtic, meticulous, and punctilious in releasing to Egypt sterling balances, while she was borrowing from America far larger sums than she would ever be ab lfc Mr Morrison was naturally against Egypt closing the canal, and, turning to the Foreign Secretary, shouted at him: “Aren’t you? Mr Morrison replied: Yes, sir, I am, but unlik* the Right Honourable gentleman I Would coma to an over-all friendly agreement if I could.