Feud short-lived — Wilson

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33857, 31 May 1975, Page 15

Feud short-lived — Wilson

(N.Z. Press Assn— Copyright) LONDON, May 30. The rift in Britain’s Labour Cabinet over the Common Market referendum will be forgotten as soon as the vote is over, the British Prime | Minister (Mr Wilson) has predicted. Speaking on a 8.8. C. radio. programme, Mr Wilson claimed confidently that he could successfully bring to an end the feuding among his Cabinet members over the June 5 referendum. Mr Wilson, is personally strongly in favour of Britain’s continued membership of the E.E.C., but he gave his Ministers the right to argue whichever way thev wished. Short memories The freedom has high- 1 ; lighted personality clashes: (within Mr Wilson’s Cabinet.! !especially between the Home) Secretary (Mr Roy Jenkins); (who is in favour of continued) i membership, and the Secre-; itary for Trade and Industry] , (Mr Anthony Wedgwood-; i Benn), who is against it. Their personal differences) - came to a head on Tuesday,; when Mr Jenkins said he was. i finding if . increasingly diffi- ( I cult to take Mr Benn seri- ! ousiy as an Economics Min-I > ister over his claim that mem-

bership of the E.E.C. had cost 500,000 British jobs. Mr Wilson said he “deprecated the use of personalities” in the dispute, then went on to repeat his assurances that Britain would once again have a consolidated Cabinet as soon as the referendum was safely in the past. “Memories don’t last as long as you people in the media think,” he told the 8.8. C. interviewer. The Secretary of State foi Social Services (Mrs Barbara Castle) hauled a full shopping basket from Brussels into the referendum campaign yesterday and claimed that staying in Europe would push up British prices.

But the pro-Market cam- ; paigners had rushed a housejwife to Oslo, and she produced her shopping basket to [show that the Norwegians, I who are outside the Common Market, pay more for food I than the British, who have been in the Community since 11972. Food examples As the campaign hotted up. cans, 1 loaves, and wrapped cuts of meat were dumped in front of reporters at rival press conferences. Both sides realise that prices in inflation-hit Britain are a major factor in people’s minds, even though public opinion polls are predicting a substantial majority in favour of remaining in the Community. The referendum is being; turned into a test of power; behind breakaway regional movements. While most people will vote on the straight question jdf British membership of the I European Economic Com- ! munity, political factions in Britain’s so-called Celtic Fringe have seized on the referendum as a chance to show they want a greater say in running their own affairs. ; Most forecasters predict . that a majority of the 40 (million electors throughout the country will ('ote “yes” (to remain in the nine-nation (community. Regional figures Most of the 3,700,000 , voters in the ancient kingdom of Scotland and the two ; million in the principality of (Wales may vote against the (E.E.C., posing far-reaching I questions about the unity of (the United Kingdom and the j very pattern of the British (political map. ■ Parliament, defying the wishes of the Government, ; has ruled that the referendum result must be declared by (regions instead of one cenItral declaration. ■ So, while the 33m English (electors may carry the day ion the immediate issue of (Europe, the full results for (the United Kingdom and all - its regions seem set to be -debated for months to come. 1 If the Celtic countries of I Scotland and Wales vote ! against, nationalists in the ! two regions would probably ; pronounce it as testimony of (the people’s desire to break (away from London’s central (authority, leaving only England to be ruled from Lon- - don. | Even without the referi enduro, all the major parties

in Britain are already committed to changing the status of Scotland and Wales within the United Kingdom. Legislation is now being drafted and is expected to be tabled this year, although the Cabinet has yet to determine what powers should be granted to the two regional governments.