TNAG-0721-FCO40-919-Capital-punishment-in-the-Dependent-Territories-1978 — Page 151

CONFIDENTIAL

DRAFT

MEMORANDUM

To:-

Top Secret.

Secret.

Confidential.

Restricted.

Unclassified.

GEN 103(78)

PRIVACY MAI

ING

In Confidence

Type 1 +

CABINET

MINISTERIAL GROUP ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE DEPENDENT OVERSEAS TERRITORIES

TSKIT

6 Feb 78

From

Telephone No. Ext.

MEMORANDUM BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Department

1.

In GEN 103 on 13 October we agreed on the desirability of a change in policy concerning capital punishment in the dependent overseas territories but decided that change

while the Bermuda case was outstanding might be disadvantageous.

2. In the event I felt that I had no alternative but to

advise The Queen not to intervene in the Bermuda case and

the executions took place on 2 December 1977. They were followed by public disturbances in Bermuda and we had to

send troop reinforcements from Britain. The executions

aroused considerable parliamentary, press and public

interest here and we are now committed to a debate in the

House on this question by Michael Foot's statement on 8 December and to a lesser extent by my answers following my statement of 5 December.

3. I have again given consideration to ways in which our policy could be changed to have this desired effect. 1 have thought about making a personal appeal either to the

local legislatures or to the Premiers to introduce their

own legislation to abolish capital punishment. Such a course would probably prove disadvantageous. Most of the governments, if not all, would reject such an appeal and

if they did so this would make it very difficult for us

CON PI DEHTIAL

!