TNAG-0720-FCO40-918-Capital-punishment-in-the-Dependent-Territories-1978 — Page 82

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