Privy Seal has 'nasty feeling’

Press, 10 March 1982, Page 6

Privy Seal has 'nasty feeling’

PA Auckland Britain’s Lord Privy Seal, Mr Humphrey Atkins, has a “nasty feeling” about the Commonwealth Games plans. Asked at Auckland Airport yesterday if he thought the Games at Brisbane later this year were “in trouble,” Mr Atkins said, “I very much hope not, but I have a nasty feeling that there may be some difficulties ahead. “This is something I want to discuss with your Government. “I think it would be a tragedy if the Games were endangered, and so will have to see how we get on.” Mr Atkins, who is the Foreign Secretary’s spokesman in the British House of Commons, is spending four

days in New Zealand. He said black countries of the Commonwealth might say they would not take part if Britain was involved because of the recent departure of individual English cricketers to South Africa. “They may not be thinking very kindly of you either,” Mr Atkins said. He agreed that the English cricketers in South Africa were a source of embarrassment to the British Government. Mr Atkins will meet Government Ministers, the acting Opposition spokesman on Foreign Affairs, Mr F. D. O’Flynn, and will attend a meeting of British heads of mission from about eight countries in the Pacific area, before leaving for Australia.