Commons crowded

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33478, 8 March 1974, Page 11

Commons crowded

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuler—Copyright)

LONDON, Marell 7.

While the miners’ leaders and National Coal Board representatives were thrashing out their pay Settlement yesterday, politicians were assembling in the two British Houses of Parliament for the traditional swearing -in ceremonies.

Mr Selwyn Lloyd, a former Conservative Foreign Secretary, was re-elected as the Speaker of. the House of Commons.

“It is going to be an exciting Parliament for all of us,” Mr Wilson told the crowded Chamber, in which there are now 635 seats.

In the spirit of a good loser, Mr Heath commented: “I offer to the Prime Minister the congratulations and the understanding of the whole House due to -anyone who assumes the immense responsibilities of the first Minister of the Crown,”

The mood of harmony con-

party anger of the pre-elec-tion period. Earlier, Mr Wilson had met his 300 Labour colleagues privately, and had given them a warning that they must be ready for a new election at ajmost any time. His Cabinet was assuming, however, that it would remain in office for a least a year. According to reports emerging from the closed-door meeting, Mr Wilson refrained from actually promising to proceed with the most controversial parts of the (programme on which Labour iscraped home in last week’s I election. These aspects included nationalisation of the offshore oil industry, and renegotiation of the terms of Britain’s membership of the European Community. Mr Wilson is reported to have told his parliamentary colleagues: “I regard myself as the custodian of the Labour Party manifesto,” and politicians interpret this (either as a pledge to push 'through Labour’s entire programme, or an intention to choose the parts he thinks (best. i The new Labour GovernI ment will make its first Ministerial contact with the European Common Market ■ir London on Friday, when i Mr Pierre Lardinois, the E.E.C. Commissioner for

Agriculture will have talks with Mr Fred Peart, Britain’s new Minister of Agriculture.

Mr Peart has already made it clear that he hopes to reduce ■ the present flow of farm produce into Britain from Jiurope, and that he wants early changes in the Community’s Common Agricultural Policy.

It is not known whether Mr Peart will seek a postponement of, or will attend, a key meeting of the Common Market Ministers of Agriculture in Brussels on Monday and Tuesday.