Decision is reserved

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33912, 4 August 1975, Page 9

Decision is reserved

/A Z P A Reuter—Copyright) LONDON. Judgment was reserved in Britain's High Court after six days of legal argument over the political diaries of a former Cabinet Minister, Mr Richard Crossman. The Labour Government wants to restrain publication of the book. "Diaries of a Cabinet Minister.” saying that it must preserve trust and confidence in the Cabinet room. The late Mr Crossman’s book deals with the Labour Government of 1964-70 and extracts have been published in the "Sunday Times.” The Lord Chief Justice. Lord Widgery. reserved judgment until the next law term, which will begin on October 1. The Attorney General (Mr, -Sam Silkin) who is seeking rhe ban, ended his submissions by saying that the first volume of the dairies was peppered with breaches of the rules set out bv the Cabinet Secretary (Sir John Hunt) to protect Cabinet secrecy Two Queen's counsel representing Mr Crossman’s literary' executors, his publishers and the “Sunday Times” have claimed that the law cannot be used against politicians who publish Cabinet secrets at their own discretion unless they endanger national security. They said that disclosure of Cabinet material was not a matter for the law.