WILD SCENE IN COMMONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20656, 30 August 1930, Page 2 (Supplement)

WILD SCENE IN COMMONS.

\WORST FOR 300 YEARS.

TWO MEMBERS SUSPENDED.

\ SEIZURE OF THE MACE.

f INCIDENTS OF THE STORM

Not since that day 300 or so years ago when Oliver Cromwell marched into the House of, Commons, and, pointing to the mace,- called out, " Take away that fool's bauble!" have there been such happenings in the Houso as there were on tho afternoon of July 17. Iwo Labour M.P. s wero suspended—Mr. Fenner Brockway, member for Lcyton, and Mr. John Beckett, momber for Peckham. Mr. Brockway's suspension was for defying the Speaker. Mr. Beckett's was for " gross disorderly conduct." ' After the Mr. Brockway and Mr. Beckett were escorted from tho precincts of the House by a police inspector. Their suspensions were for five sitting days. Mr. Beckett is the M.P. who recently married Miss Kyrle Bellew, tho actress, at Gretna Green. An account of /the wedding was published on this page on August 16. Questiony time opened quietly enough, ■with the usual queries about a hundred end one things important and unimportant. Then came a minor storm over the case of the punishment of an eight-year-old boy at Chelmsford, which led to cries of " Shame! " And then, says the Evening News, came the great storm—a storm the like of which the Houso has not known for many a year. The scene began with Mr. A. Fenner Brockway,, Labour member for Leyton, asking the Prime Minister whether time would given before the recess for a discussion /on the situation in India. Mr. Mac Donald referred Mr. Brockway to a previous reply which he had given on the subject. Prime Minister's Rebuke. "Mayl ask," persisted Mr. Brockway, " whether there has' been no development since last Monday which now makes a delate desirable." The Prime Minister /rpiied that any development that had taken plac/e had been in the opposite direction.

Palo and tense, Mr. Brockway rose again; to *Say: " May I ask whether in view of the fact that over 5000 men and women are now in prison in India, and that the last hopes of settlement seem to l>e destroyed, this House is to have no opportunity of discussing the matter before the recess." Rebukingly, Mr. Mac Donald answered: " I should deprecate most strongly any sort of statement that the last hopes of a settlement had been destroyed, because as a matter of fact it is not true." . Paler still, but resolute, Mr. Brockway rose to put a point of order. Its form was such that members looked on in surprise. Ho asked the Speaker whether there was any means by which back bench members of the House, because of any agreement between the three party leaders, might not have an opportunity to raise questions , upon which they felt very deeply.

" I cannot create new methods," replied the Speaker. Mr. Brßckway complained that on the last occasion when back benchers wanted to raise ythe matter of the situation in India they were compelled to use the adjournment, and the question was postponed until the last hour of that debate. How the Storm Broke. It was here that the storm began. The Speaker stood up, and by the rules of the House Mr. Brockway should have sat down ' immediately. He remained standing, however, and cried, " I am very sorry, but I cannot possibly be silent in view of this situation." Hubbub broke out on both sides of the House, but, raising his voice, Mr.. Brockway spoke so powerfully that every word could be heard. " I speak with very . great respect," he said many times. The Speaker requested Mr. Brockway not to make a demonstration. Mr. Brockway, still on his feet, and reiterating that he spoke with great respect to/the Chair said: "The situation vin India is now so serious that we should • be failing to do our duty if we did not speak our minds on that matter, and if the Front Bench will not allow an opportunity then we must try other means. " I speak with very great respect, but one f silent." «. Above the noise in the House, the roar of "Name him" was raised, and the "Speaker warned Mr. Brockway that he would have to (jsJce this course if he did not obey his ruling. Mr. Speaker " Names " the Member. Defiantly, however, Mr. Brockway remained Standing, and repeated: " I speak with very great respect, but the situation is such that I cannot be silent." The House was now rocking with shouts of protest, but Mr. Brockway went on speaking, and at length the Speaker said he must name Mr. Brockway, and the Prime Minister accordingly rose immediately to move " that Mr. Brockway be suspended from the service of this House." As the tellers approached the table to announce the figures of the division, Mr. John Beckett, Labour member for Peckham, walked down the gangway and, before members could fully appreciate his intention ho had dashed toward the table and had seized the mace, shouting at the same time, " Mr. Speaker, sir, it's a damned disgrace." There were loud protesting cries at this Outrage', but Mr. Beckett slung the mace over his shoulder and stepped down the floor toward the Bar of the House without anyone having the enterprise to impede his progress. As soon as Mr. Beckett reached the Bar, however, a stalwart attendant made ft rush at him grabbed the mace and handed it to Sir Colin Keppel, th<? Ser-geant-at-Arms, who walked up the floor and restored it to its place. In excitement of the moment the tellers omitted to read out the figures of the division, but one of them passed a slip of paper containing them on to the Speaker, who thereupon called upon Mr. Brockway to withdraw. Suspension of Mr. Beckett.

Meanwhile Mr. Beckett had been loitering, his hands in pockets, about (lie floor of the Chamber in company with Mr. W. Jl Brown, Labour member for Wolverhampton. Silence vas restored for a moment, and all eves v/ere turned on Mr. Brockway to see what he would do. Turning to the Speaker he said : " Out of respect for you, sir, 1 will leave." There was a sympathetic cheer from some of his associates, and (hen Mr. Brockway bowed to the Chair and walked down the gangway and departed. He was quickly followed by Mr. Beckett. Mr. W. J. Brown ostentatiously shook hands with Mr. Brockway as he was leaving.

That incident over, the Speaker rose n<*aiu and said, " I have also to name the liuii. member for Peckham for gross disorderly conduct." There were loud cheers from all parts of the House at th.it. The Prime Minister then submitted the formal motion suspending Mr. Beckett from the service of the House. The motion was received with loud Conservative cheers, and when it was put to (lie House by the Speaker was again greeted i.-with a resounding cry of " Aye " and a f j'ather feeble protesting " No " from somo afi ft Mr. Beckett's colleagues below the

gangway. 1.:,-. Iho divisicn resulted in Mr. Beckett's 5 . Suspension being carried by 324 votes to • ,, V 1 jK the Chamberthe two mernifes i int<> ?. alaCft Yard « where they were met by a poi ICB inspector.

The inspector accompanied them across Palace Yard until they had passed through the gates which mark the limit of the precincts of the House. Undor the Standing Orders of the Houso the suspensions continue until the fifth day, which meant that neither member was able to sit again until the following Thursday. This is the first timo a member has been suspo.ndod during this Parliament.

Before the great storm in the Houso there was a turbulent scene arising out of questions concerning a recent case at Chelmsford, where an eight-year-old boy was placed on probation and at the same time sentenced to receive four strokes of tho birch.

Tho Homo Secretary, Mr. J. R. Clynes, explained that tho two sentences were in respect of different offences, and said that the justices appeared to have acted within their discretion.

, "Shamo! Shamo!" shouted Mr. W. ,T. Brown, Labour member for Wolverhampton, and there were some supporting cries from tho members around him. " ' Shamo! ' is not a Parliamentary expression," said tho Speaker quietly. Considerable disorder followed. Mr. Brown remained on his feot at the same time as the Speaker, while Conservatives shouted: " Sit down ! " and " Name him !"

Finally the matter was settled by Mr. Clynes saying that he was going to get the facts of the case.