CC077 19:59
230
HKGOVT G
KEY+20251190+HX04 61190 HKG IS HX
2004 HKGOVT G
TX 313/LIS 79
23TH JANUARY, 1901.
DIS -EXCOMMISSIONER (FOR DAVIS FM FORD)
TAKE ONE
NATIONALITY BILL: THE DEBATE HAS NOW BEEN RUNNING FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS AND MAJOR SPEAKERS ON BOTH SIDES HAVE FINISHED. THE DEBATE OPENED WITH ABOUT 30 MPS IN THE HOUSE, 30TH FRONT BENCHES FAIRLY FULL BUT WITH NEITHER THE PRIME MINISTER NOR MR. FOOT PRESENT. NEITHER HAVE APPEARED SO FAR IN THE DEBATE. MR. WHITELAY OPENED FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND GAVE HIS USUAL AYUNCULAR PERFORMANCE, TAKING THE HOUSE SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY THROUGH THE BILL AND DEALING WITH CRITICISMS THAT HAD BEEN MADE OF IT AS HE WENT ALONG. THE MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST IN HIS SPEECH WERE THE REASSURANCE HE GAVE ABOUT HONG KONG, THE UNDERTAKING TO THE FALKLAND ISLANDS (WHICH IS WORTH STUDYING) AND A POINT
HICH EMPHASISED THAT. HE WISHED ANY MISUNDERSTANDINGS OR UNCERTAINTIS TO BE IRONED OUT IN THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL THROUGH THE HOUSE. THE TEXT OF THESE PARTICULAR PASSAGES WILL BE TELEXED SEPARATELY. THE MOOD OF THE HOUSE WAS GENERALLY GOOD NATURED AND OR WHITELAW DEALT WITH HECKLERS PATIENTLY AND SYMPATHETICALLY. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF MUCH FIRE EITHER SIDE.
T
ROY HATTERSELY LED FOR THE OPPOSITION IN HIS MAIDEN SPEECH AS SHADOW HOME SECRETAR. THE WHOLE THRUST OF HIS ARGUMENT WAS
THAT THE DILL WAS AN ANTI-IMMIGRATION RATHER THAN A NATIONALITY 3ILL, HIGHLY RACIALIST IN CONTENT AND EFFECT AND ON THAT 3ASIS WOULD BE OPPOSED TOOTH AND NAIL AT EVERY STAGE OF ITS PASSAGE THROUGH PARLIAMENT. HE CONCENTRATED ON WHAT HE DESCRIBED · AS RACIALIST ASPECTS OF THE BILL AND GAVE EXAMPLES!!, HIS ONLY REFERENCE TO HONG KONG OR C3DTS CAME TOWARDS THE END OF HIS SPEECH WHEN HE OUTLINED LABOUR'S PROPOSALS FOR A COMPLETE RECAMPING OF THE BILL. THE BASIC CONCEPT OF THIS WAS THAT THERE SHOULD BE TWO CATEGORIES BUT THAT IN THE FIRST CATEGORY DEPENT TERRITORIES SUCH AS HONG KONG SHOULD BE GIVEN A CITIZENSHIP OF THEIR OWN. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS WOULD HAVE TO BE NEGOTIATED WITH INDIVIDUAL TERRITORIES AND THE RIGHTS OF CITIZENS OF THEM TO ENTER THE U.K. AGREED BY MUTUAL CONSENT. IT WAS ALL RATHER VAGUE AND WOOLY AND DID. NOT CARRY MUCH CONVICTION. HE WAS HECKLED STRONGLY ABOUT THE ORIGINAL GREEN PAPER WHICH WAS OF COURSE PUBLISHED BY THE LABOUR GOVERNMENT. THE SPEECH TURNED INTO PARLIAMENTARY PING PONG OF FAIRLY LOW CLIBRE. HIS SPEECH CONTAINED NOTHING
OF INTEREST TO US.
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