E.E.C. MEMBERSHIP Britons await outcome of House vote

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33814, 10 April 1975, Page 13

E.E.C. MEMBERSHIP Britons await outcome of House vote

LONDON, \pril 9. \l least one rebel Minister will trv | today to urge Parliament to end British membership of the European Economic Community, in defiance ol the I ahour Prime Minister ( Mr \\ ilson i.

The Minister is Mr] Eric Heffer. deputy to the equally-ardent opponent of continued membership. Mr Anthony Wedgwood Benn. Left-wing Secretary of iState for Industry. i Speaking outside Parliament lasi night. Mr Benn denounced the Common Mar [ket as “a growing political federation which entrenches [the privileges of the rich." I While allowing members [of his parly to campaign on the Market issue. Mr Wilson has banned the seven of his 123 Cabinet Ministers op[posed to British member-hip [to voice their opposition in I Parliament. His expected dismissal of (Mr Heffer if the Junior Min- ' ister manages to speak might well give rise to a partv revolt. Mr Heffer, also a Leftwinger, told renorters last night that he planned to defv Mr Wilsons instructions, and that he ha sent the Prime Minister a letter and received I a reply. He declined to say [what was in the letters. ’Parliamentary gag' I Angry Left-wingers in the party are calling Mr Wilson’s

mote "a Parliamentary gag Some pro-Market I abmn member- agree: •There 'a ‘I be a hell of a row if ant of the scoundrels tthc anti Market Ministers! trv to speak tn the House." A former carpenter who comes trom Liverpool. Mi Heffer has tangled with Mr Wil.-on before: last year h was warned after criticising the Government’s decision t< allow four British warships to be sold to Chile. Mr Wilson faces the posst bilitv that most Labour Partv members will vote tonight after a three-day debate, against Britain staving in th< EEC.. although u is expected that Opposition ( on servatives and l iberals will give him enough support to win. Mote than 130 Laboui members are committed to Britain's withdrawal, and more than 90 to her remain ing in. Anothei 90 have not said how they will vote ('.litiuge ol mind Two former anti Marketeeis, the Secretary ol State for Education (Mr Reginald Prentice) and the Deputy Foreign Minister (Mr David Ennals't told a press conference last night that they had changed their minds: they liked the new terms of Community membership recently renegotiated by Britain. and feared Britain’s future outside the Market.

Another leading anti Marketeer, the Secretary of State for Trade (Mr Peter Shore) is away while the Parliamentary debate is on vesterday he began a three day visit to the United Arab Emirates. ! Another Labour member Mr Michael English, has presented Mr Wilson — and the Speaker — with another headache: hr- has complained formally that Mr Wilson’-

f>an on Ministers speaking against the E.E.C. tn Parlia ment is a breach of itancient privileges.

| The Speaker will today rule whether there is enough substance tn this for it to be considered formally

The British people will vote tn a nation-wide referendum tn June on whether they want Britain to remain in the Common Market, and the Government has said that [it will abide by the result, [irrespective of what Parliament decides tonight [ The Leader of the Oppostjtion (Mrs Margaret Thatcher) made it worse for Mr Wilson [in the House yesterday by suggesting that the dissenting Ministers should resign at once. She added that despite the temptations to upset Mr Wilson, the Conservatives would support European membership. Mr Wilson replied that his Cabinet represented all partv views — “unlike the cronydominated last Conservative Cabinet."