Orders of the Day — Prolongation of Parliament Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at on 30 September 1942.

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Photo of Mr Clement Davies Mr Clement Davies , Montgomeryshire

The Labour party should, especially at this time, see that the younger members of the party are brought to this House. That brings me to what I regard as such a serious situation. There are millions of young men to-day offering their lives for democracy and for the continuation of this House—men who are now in the neighbourhood of 27, 28 and 29 and have never voted at all, men who must have their views not only with regard to the present but with regard to the future. They are not being consulted at all until the whole thing is over. That is the serious part of the matter.

It is all very well to point out the difficulties. The only real difficulty that has been mentioned is that of registration. The Government, however, have had two years in which to' consider this matter. It is supposed to be in the hands of a committee. Why does it take that committee so long to report? I can well understand the great difficulties of holding an election under the old franchise where the qualifications depended not upon persons but upon property. Now, when we have universal suffrage and every young man and woman has a vote, I can see no great difficulty in ascertaining the views of the people. Even the Home Secretary said that this was not impossible. There is difficulty, but no impossibility. Then what prevents us from testing the opinions of the people to-day? It is said that there is no main issue before the people. What is meant by that? We are all agreed that the war has to be fought to a finish and that we have to go on fighting until the enemy is defeated. That is the aim, but on the methods by which we shall pursue that aim there is great difference of opinion. It is said that some of us may have changed our views. If we have it is because of disappointments for which we are not responsible. For example—and I make no apology for referring to it again—the Act of 22nd May, 1940, put all power in the hands of the Government over both property and persons. We thought that that was the method that was to be used in order to achieve the aim we all have in mind, but it has not yet been put into effect. That might be a major issue. In fact, it has been an issue at many of the by-elections against the nominated candidate of the Government, when, although that candidate has had the support of the three party machines, the people expressed their views in favour of the Independent who wanted a more vigorous and wholehearted prosecution of the war.

It is said that we must not hold an election in the middle of a war. It is interesting that Northern Ireland has to be introduced into this Bill. But for the fact that Northern Ireland obtained its legislative authority from an Act passed in this House, and but for the fact that this House can alter its mind about past legislation, there would have to be a general election in Northern Ireland next March. Everybody agrees that that would be more difficult and perhaps more undesirable than in any part of the world because of domestic difficulties. That election, however, would have to be held but for the accident that this House can extend the time of the Northern Ireland Parliament. The constitution of this country is elastic and we can alter things from time to time. America is in the war, but elections for Congress will have to be held in a short time. American soldiers and sailors are in various parts of the world, and their views will have to be taken. Should the war continue until 1944 the most stupendous election of any in the world will have to be held in the United States for the choice of President for the following four years. The United States cannot alter their Constitution. They have to face up to these matters, and difficulties that may arise during a war do not prevent them. To turn to our own Dominions, Canada has held an election in the middle of the war, Australia has already held one and is threatened with another, and New Zealand has held one. Therefore, the argument that we cannot hold a General Election during the war does not interest me.

What I am anxious about is that this House should represent the true views of the people of this country. What has been happening during the -last two years? It has been said that the world of 1939 is dead, never to be revived. The right hon. Gentleman himself referred to it in his speech. We are looking forward to a new future. We are all agreed that there must be no more vague promises to youth that is offering its life, promises which are not going to be carried out. I agree that there ought to be an end to clichés and shibboleths and that there ought to be concrete undertakings. All kinds of committees are sitting, and all kinds of reports are coming out. We have had the Barlow Report, the Scott Report and the Uthwatt Report. We are to have in a short while the Beveridge Report. Do the Government propose to implement these reports, or do they propose to leave them until the Greek Kalends with a promise that after the war something will be done? I warn the House that no promise made during a war and not carried out during the war has ever been implemented when the war is over. If you do not put these things into effect now they are mere shibboleths and promises held in front of the very people who are dying for us. I can think of no greater treason or greater crime than to deceive the youth that is offering its life to-day. If we mean to build a new life for them, a new world, it is time we began now. The Government are asking the House to prolong the life of this Parliament for another 12 months. They have not consulted the people as to what they desire. I am afraid that this Bill will be given a Second Reading and that we shall go on for another 12 months. I beg and pray the Government, if they get that extension, to tell the people what they intend to do and undertake to bring in the necessary legislation which will enable us to obtain the opinions of the people wherever they may be. We are fighting the battle of democracy. Then let democracy be true unto itself. It cannot be with a stale, old House of Commons.