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his telegram number 32, the majority of Bermudians would
support a decision to let the executions proceed and there is
unlikely to be the sort of confrontation that would attract public
or parliamentary interest in Britain.
3. In my submission of 19 October I explained the different
constitutional positions in Bermuda and Hong Kong. Given this
difference, I think that after the executions take place in Bermuda
the Governor of Hong Kong may find it somewhat more difficult
to maintain the policy he has pursued since 1973 of commuting the
death sentence in every case. However we can face this problem
if and when it comes: it is no bar to a decision on the Bermuda
case.
4. The summing-up of the last meeting of GEN 103 does not
strictly oblige the Secretary of State to go back to his colleagues.
However he will presumably wish to keep them informed, particularly
in the light of the Prime Minister's comment.
5.
Accordingly I recommend that the Secretary of State should
write to the Prime Minister and his colleagues informing them
of his intention to let the law take its course and that he
how see (79) should now forward the petition to The Queen with advice
that she should not intervene in this matter. I submit three
The Legal Adviser concurs.
drafts.
腿
D F Murray
1 November 1977
CONFIDENTIAL