Labour Party angry with Benn

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33730, 31 December 1974, Page 9

Labour Party angry with Benn

(N.Z.P. A, -Reuter—Copyright) LONDON, December 30. Labour Party Parliamentarians today reacted angrily to Industry 7 Minister, Mr Anthony 7 Wedgwood Benn’s week-end warning on the dangers of Britain remaining in the European Economic Community (E.E.C.).

Political observers believe that the Prime Minister (Mr Wilson), at present on holiday, would also be angered by Mr Benn’s comments and likely to reprimand the Left-wing Minister, with whom he has clashed before.

' In an open letter to his I constituents in south-east Bristol, Mr Benn said that I Britain would lose its status as a completely selfgoverning nation if it remained in the E.E.C. This is seen as outright rejection of British membership whatever renegotiated terms of entry Foreign Secretary (Mr James Callaghan) obtains.

! With a referendum due in ! 1975 on whether Britons ! wish to remain in the Community, other Ministers have waited for the new terms to emerge before they stated their views. The chairman of Labour’s new middle-of-the-road manifesto group, Dr Dickson Mabon, said. that Mr Benn

seemed to be straying from Government policy and added: “It is very important that men in his position should behave responsibly.”

Another Labour member of Parliament, Mr Eric Moonman, said it was a pity that “a distinguished member of the party is not prepared to await the renegotiation of Market terms.” Pro-marketeers fear that Mr Benn’s condemnation of British membership will prove a grave embarrassment to Mr Callaghan in his renegotiations.

It is also believed that the 49-year-old Industry Minister’s comments will emphasise the deep divisions in the

Labour Party on E.E.C. membership. Mr Benn, regarded as a possible challenger for the Labour Party leadership, is a well-known opponent of British membership of the Community. In his open letter he said that the objectives the E.E.C. has set itself would make Britain one province on a Western European State.