TNAG-0112-FCO40-148-Detainees-and-prisoners-following-19671968-disturbances-1969 — Page 129

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House of Commons,

To

London, S.W.1

174

Dear Michael,

Lord Sheplerd

nw

3111

28th January, 1969.

This morning I was telephoned at 4 a.m. at my home by a Mr. Summers of The Star Newspaper, Hong Kong. He said in his opening remarks that a sensation had been created in Hong Kong as a result of the two questions which I had put down here to your good self, and which had received 166 written responses in Hansard Monday, 27th January pages 232–233. I

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responded to Mr. Summers by reminding him that it was 4 a.m. and that there was nothing extraordinary in my questions which were put down to elicit information and which were replied to quite properly by the Parliamentary Secretary. Mr. Summers then went on to say that it might be that I was 'a tool of left-wing forces'. I responded to this by telling him that I was left-wing being a member of the Labour Party, and the Labour Party was, at the moment, Her Majesty's Government. He then went further and said it had been suggested that there was something 'sinister' in my putting down the two questions. I pointed out to him that they had been put down at least 10 days ago, but that I had been the leader of a Parliamentary delegation to Hong Kong some two years ago. I received a great deal of correspondence from the colony and the questions had arisen as a result of some of this correspondence. I asked him who had suggested that there was something 'sinister' and that he could not tell me. I informed him that had he named the individual I would see that a Writ was issued for slander and I would have a Writ served upon him if, in fact, he was the originator.

I am perturbed about the inconvenience of calling anybody at that early hour. At the moment it is particularly distressing in that my wife is quite ill, and I have two aged sisters who are quite unwell in Florida and I thought the call might have come from them. I am also concerned about the political import of the conversation and I would be grateful if the Governor could advise whether the call was authentic; whether the interrogator was genuinely seeking information; and whether the newspaper is, in any way, trustworthy. The conversation ended well after 4. 30 a.m.

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- 3 FEB 1909

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The Rt. Hon. Michael Stewart, MP,

Sincerely,

Mauree Inback

Maurice Orbach, MP.