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change the law would therefore involve over-
riding the wishes of elected legislatures and
I do not think we should do
Governments.
this.
Apart from the constitutional and
political implications, enforced abolition
would breach the principle of a free vote.
It could also lead to difficulty over the Isle
of Man and Jersey. I therefore think that we
must leave the death penalty as it is in
those Dependent Territories where there are
elected legislatures, and be prepared to
defend this in Parliament,
This implies that it
there is a petition to the Queen against the Govenors docision in these 3. This leaves Hong Kong.
Since 1966 every
convicted murderer there has been reprieved
by the Governor, with or without the agreement
of his Executive Council. But in April this
year the present Governor decided in a
particular case that this was no longer
possible. The Governor's power of reprieve
is delegated to him personally under the
constitution of Hong Kong. In normal circum-
stances it would be very difficult for me to
interfere or to advise The Queen to use Her
residual prerogative of mercy; nor would I
wish to do so. But this particular decision
happened to come between the debates on
the death penalty in general and in respect
of Northern Ireland, To have allowed an
execution to take place in Hong Kong at that
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/time
tetonas, were there a Zmiscantage
I should unless too. that the low should
take its course, and be prepared to defend this in partaiment.
This is
wrong
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