House Cleared When M.P. ’Spies Strangers’

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28748, 20 November 1958, Page 15

House Cleared When M.P. ’Spies Strangers’

■ . "S. November 18. '.. . - member of h.-: < Mr George Bg unatically “spied m the House of • anmmu tonight and Sk-e: 4 chaotic Parlia■W situation with few is :n peace time. == ■ .4 — that is, ®- -rxH v m not a member of —n ar. ancient means c BBXUx< zne public and press trmz r-e chamber. =- gs in the House 1 1 orrT-.n- t went on unreported • official parliamentary reto be no pros- •.» H- ..se sitting aga.n in : ur the usual hour of as- - cr-arrow afternoon. ‘ V f.j s move was a protest i 3r. err-rr.er.t bill to re- ■ t -er.ncuon on the num- *■ -j-? _sa: may be used by ‘^^l—:c ta<e voters to the —j: -ztroauced the car reic r-ir. w as in power in x ■ Co nservatives were v f and therefore likely ”• i_r ez ar.tage. *-e ZcccTS-tion has protested **=■ ; nee -.re Government an-:-e restriction would i - raraers ’ was the way were cleared for : ...rs during the war. 'Ne ecorded clearing of zr..ery in peace-time n K}. T z. .ring a debate on • but the press galvia i.eared on that oc-

I A recent authoritative book on i parliamentary procedure says that |at one time it was enough for a siiigle member to “spy strangers” J to require the instant clearing of I the galleries. “Bu* as the result of a distasteful incident on April 27, 1857. when no less a person than the Prince of Wales was compelled to withdraw from the House of Commons gallery because one member drew attention to the presence of strangers, a resolution was adopted re' "ring a majority vote of the House before strangers could be excluded,’’ says the book. When Mr Wigg moved “that strangers now withdraw,” the chairman of Ways and Means. Sir Charles Macandrew, put the motion to the House. There was a shout of approval from the Labour benches, and the chairman said the motion was carried. He then ordered the galleries to be cleared. Later, a Conservative said he challenged Mr Wigg’s motion, but the chairman said he did not hear him. The House eventually adjourned for the night after being in closed session for about two hours. During the closed session, experts on Parliamentary procedure said that the last exact parallel to tonight’s events was in December, 1925, during an economic debate. On that occasion, both press and public galleries were cleared. Labour supporters tonight claimed that Mr Wigg’s action was in fact a defeat of the Government because the Government was opposed to the motion. But this view was not shared by Government supporters, who said that technically the motion was carried without a vote.