48
ние
380
LCT 1990
Ry 10%x
Miss Marsden Ms Jan 10/0
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM: DATE:
CC:
pa.
Cap. prema. 18 18/10
49
PS/Mr Lennox-Boyd
9 October 1990
PS
PS/Mr Garel-Jones PS/Lord Caithness
Mr McLaren
Mr Beamish
Sir A Watts
HKD
UND
Legal Advisers
PPD
PRU
Special Advisers
Mr Gorham
WIAD
DEPENDENT TERRITORIES:
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
1. Mr Lennox-Boyd has seen a copy of the Lord President's letter of 8 October to the Foreign Secretary. He has commented as follows:
2.
"This is very important. If we do not take action now a
man will probably be executed. ("Let sleeping dogs lie"!).
"I don't think there is any need to provoke a debate.
After all we could arm twist Governors and thus override the wishes of local legislators without debate. I agree it is desirable for OD to consider this but is there sufficient time (before the execution!)?"
I understand that you are working on a draft OD paper. In the light of Mr Lennox-Boyd's views, you may wish to recommend that the Secretary of State should revert to the Lord President, stressing the urgency imposed by the threat of an imminent execution, and asking whether the Lord President could reconsider whether OD discussion is essential. If we were to do this, we should need to do it quickly: Mr Lennox-Boyd would need to see a draft in his box tomorrow night, to enable us to get it to the Secretary of State for the weekend.
матери
Martin Hatfull
CONFIDENTIAL