Gains and losses in U.K. Labour policy

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33460, 15 February 1974, Page 2

Gains and losses in U.K. Labour policy

(N.Z.P.A. Stall Correspondent)

LONDON, February 14.

New Zealand stands to get two possible gains and one loss from a Labour Party victory in this month’s British General Election.

The gains could come from better long-term prospects for New Zealand dairy exports to Britain, and solid backing for its campaign against French nuclear testing in the Pacific.

On the other hand, New Zealand could find itself on its own in South-East Asia if a British Labour Government followed Australia in withdrawing its troops from Singapore. Labour has never changed its “East of Suez” withdrawal policy of the late sixties, but the party’s defence spokesman, Mr Fred Peart, told the N.Z.P.A. there would be no rush to withdraw the forces, and promised full consultations with New Zealand. The Labour leader, Mr Harold Wilson, is making a strong bid to push the issue of British membership of the Common Market to the forefront of the election cam-

ipaign. He has singled out’ I New Zealand for special! mention. He has challenged Mr I Heath to renegotiate the food and agriculture provisions of British entry, “so that Britain can continue to

get cheap food from New Zealand.”

' On Tuesday night, he said Labour, before losing office in 1970, had told Common Market Governments it insisted on the right to go on buying cheap food—meat, butter and cheese—from New Zealand "for a generation ahead.” He added: “The Common Market Governments understood what we were demanding. Within weeks of the Brussels ' agreement New Zealand was being told to take her cheap food elsewhere, and sell it where she could. And last year we had the pathetic spectacle of a Conservative Minister of Agriculture going to New

‘Zealand to plead for some of Hit back.” This was a reference. to the visit of Mr Joseph God- > ber, who asked New Zealand to increase lamb shipments because of an acute meat shortage in Britain. ■ Labour’s Common Market spokesman, Mr Peter Shore, I said a Labour Government would seek “immediate” consultation with New Zealand on its position.” Transitional stages of Briti s h entry to the E.E.C.—which are raising tariffs on New Zealand lamb—would be halted, and

Labour would fight for the Commonwealth preferential tariff rates to be restored, Mr Shore said. Mr Peart told the N.Z.P.A. a Labour Government would give New Zealand “absolute support” in its opposition to French nuclear testing in tne Pacific. “Instead of talking gently to the French like the last Government, we would be very tough about it,” he said. ivir Wilson ruled out any Anglo-French co-operation on nuclear weapons—bi-lat-erally or within the E.E.C.—and called on Mr Heath to repudiate any such plan by the Conservatives. Five-power defence arrangements in South-east Asia, linking Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia and Singapore, are not an issue in the campaign al-1 though Labour remains com-' mitted to troop withdrawal from the area. A British withdrawal, on the lines proposed when Labour was last in power, would leave New Zealand forces on their own in Singapore. Labour’s Left Wing is demanding defence cuts, and Mr Wilson could be forced to agree to them for economic reasons. But Mr Peart said: “We will not leave New Zealand in the lurch. Nothing will be done without full consultations .”