British Note

Oral Answers to Questions — Poland – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 27 January 1947.

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Photo of Mr William Gallacher Mr William Gallacher , Fife Western 12:00, 27 January 1947

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs oh what evidence his recent note to the Polish Government was based.

Mr. McNeil:

The evidence was factual and extensive, and was embodied in the note itself. Since the Note is long and has already been published, I do not propose to circulate it, but, to meet the convenience of the hon. Member, I am sending him a copy of it.

Photo of Mr William Gallacher Mr William Gallacher , Fife Western

Is it not the case that the information received by the Foreign Office comes from the Embassy, and is obtained from the social contacts of the Ambassador, and, further, has it not been proved that the social contacts are utterly unreliable?

Mr. McNeil:

I could not, of course, accept the implication of the question, but, in regard to this note, as the hon. Gentleman will discover when he takes the trouble to read it, the information was available, not from our Embassy, but from private Members throughout various parts of Poland, and, of course, from the numerous representatives of the Press who were there on that occasion.

Photo of Professor Douglas Savory Professor Douglas Savory , Queen's University of Belfast

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the evidence with regard to the election of last Sunday is not overwhelming that it was neither free nor unfettered, in spite of the solemn guarantee given both at Yalta and at Potsdam?

Mr. McNeil:

That is quite another question.

Photo of Mr William Gallacher Mr William Gallacher , Fife Western

Is it not a fact that the elections in Poland were fairer and more democratic than the recent elections in Greece?

Photo of Mr Douglas Clifton Brown Mr Douglas Clifton Brown , Hexham

That is another question altogether.