M.P.s’ Privileges Questioned

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30688, 2 March 1965, Page 13

M.P.s’ Privileges Questioned

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON, March 1.

The House of Commons privileges committee has begun an investigation into an allegation that a group of fellow members were “half drunk” during a recent debate.

The rights—framed and jealously guarded by parliamentarians over the centuries —have recently become a lively national issue, with the press, radio and television questioning whether M.P.s are not becoming 100 sensitive to criticism «their activities.

The “half-drunk” allegation wjs made at a meeting outside parliament by a member o f the Labour Pa rty, t> r Patrick Duffy, against members of the Consey®**’* Opposition, Simons will soon dw>ate whether to refer anto the committee: visit by Mr W »rbey, a Labour , t 0 Communist &V 6 VietMm articled a ffi e 3 L c ’ >m P lains ttat a “Spectator,” magazine, a _London “Daily Telegraph,” were the impression that a bribed he accepted a foreign government He says his an . in tegrity are involved “ Mr lan Macleod, edu„ t the “Spectator," and l° r , mer Conservative . minister, will put hUfn"® 1 nal’s case during the detSJT He maintains that the fret

dom of the press is also involved.

Many privileges have been waived in practice over the years, but the nation got a shock in 1962 when a peer, Lord Mowbray, successfully invoked parliamentary privilege during a property dis-

pule with his estranged wife. S, case caused such a us that the leaders of the Conservative and Labour parties, Mr Macmillan and Mr Gaitskell, agreed to discuss a curb on parliamentary privilege. Nothing was done.