Home Pledges Peace Quest From Strength

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30278, 2 November 1963, Page 11

Home Pledges Peace Quest From Strength

(NZ^-A.-Reuter —Copyright) CRIEFF (Scotland), October 31.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home pledged tonight that he would do everything to maintain Britain’s strength as the basis of a search for peace.

The Prime Minister, who flew back to Scotland tonight after presiding over a Cabinet meeting in London, made the declaration on his election address to voters in the Kinross and West Perthshire Parliamentary by-election, which will take place on November 7. He said: “In the foreground of our national objective I place the search for peace, because if nuclear war breaks upon the world all is lost But peace depends on strength. I intend to maintain our British strength.” The Prime Minister also said: "I will never be guilty of jingoism, but as long as I have anything to do with tt, Britain’s voice will command authority in the world outside. “I have always sought to sustain the influence of our country in the world. Britain’s part in bringing about the recent Test-Ban Treaty is proof of how much that influence can count.” After giving his pledge to maintain Britain’s strength. Sir Alec Douglas-Home said: “We must increase and mobilise our national wealth. Unless there is steady and continuous economic expansion there is no happiness at home and Britain has no authority in the world.” But expansion, he said, depended on efficiency and modernisation “and I intend to press ahead with an efficient and modernised Britain in which the individual counts.” After saying that this was “no ordinary by-election, and asking electors to vote for him “as your candidate and your Prime Minister,” Sir Alex Douglas-Home said: "The biggest factor in the life of every family in Britain is the prospect of a more prosperous and above all. a more peaceful world. I want to lead you to it” Sir Alec Douglas-Home re-

turned from London to end the final phase of his campaign and to face what his opponents say is a growing "revolt” among the constituency’s sheep farmers because of the Prime Minister's allegedly “evasive” answers to their questions. But Sir Alec Douglas-Hom4 said on leaving London by air that the campaign was going “very well indeed He would give the voters “all the answers” when he resumed his meetings in the constituency, he said.

Earlier, today, Mr Andrew Forrester, the 24-year-old Labour candidate, claimed in a statement that the Prime Minister was cutting short his visit to London because he knew there were the seeds of revolt against him by some of the 32,000 electors.