HKG 380/1
Registry
No.
SECURITY CLA FICATION
DRAFT
LETTER
To:-
Type 1 +
From
DSR11
MR STEPHEN
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
........................................................................In Confidence
Mrs C Smith
Secretary
Dronfield Labour Party
3 Wilson Street
Dronfield
Nr Sheffield
S18 6SP
Telephone No. Ext.
Department
the Britch Garemment
retain reponibilly only for
defence, external affair, intimal recinty, and the
police.
(C KIND.
1. Thank you for your letter dated 13 January concerning hatters in Bermuda.
about.
DEMONSTRATIN'S
2. You mention that at a recent meeting of the Dronfield Labour Party discussion took place regarding the recent executions in Bermudas the administrations which followed, and about the decision to send British Troops to Bermuda. You also mention that the Dronfield Labour Party considers that Bermuda should be allowed independence and that the British Government should not interfere in the affairs of
Bermuda.tierewigestitution in 1968, which wor amended in 1973,
Since Since
had
an advanced
Bermuda has most complete internal self-government, and The administration of justice is an internal matter under the control of the Bermuda Government Under the
policy which has been accepted for many years by successive British Governments, the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary
can only intervene in a particular case of capital punishment if he has ground to believe there has been a miscarriage of justice. In the case of the two convicted, Burrows and Tacklyn, the Secretary of State could find no evidence to suggest that a miscarriage of justice had occured.
#
murdere
overnment has
A considerable degree of intergal self, been devolved upon many, including Benny
~ the legall v A Under the Bermuda Calilation, the Butean gorevarent do elected representativesut
cannot properly intervene with in those DependentTexxxxx decisions which are made by properly constituted and democratically elected local bodies unless the decisions affect those few areas in which we
Home of Anembly have reserved powers. In 1975 the Bermuda Begislature, which is elected by universal adult suffrage, Vrejected by 25 votes to 9, in a Free Vote, a private member's motion to
abolish the death penalty
15.
Dd 108087 400M S&K 1/77