– in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 27 October 1947.
Lieut-Colonel Sir Thomas Moore
, Ayr District of Burghs
12:00,
27 October 1947
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether in view of the fate of the patriot Petkov in Bulgaria, and the inability of His Majesty's Government to prevent this judicial murder, he will offer sanctuary to M. Mikolajczyk, the Peasant Party leader in Poland who is in danger of a similar fate.
Mr Charles Hale
, Oldham
On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. In regard to this question, without desiring to express any view on this matter, about which I know nothing, may I ask for your guidance as to why it was ruled impossible for Members on this side of the House to ask questions about Archbishop Stepinac, and, secondly, why it is permissible to put on the Order Paper the expression, "judicial murder," which prejudges the issue and attacks a friendly Power? May I ask whether this Question is in Order?
Mr Douglas Clifton Brown
, Hexham
That is such a complicated point of Order that I could not possibly answer it at short notice. If I had had notice of it I could have given a reply, but the Question, having passed the Table, is, I am certain, in Order.
Mr Christopher Mayhew
, Norfolk Southern
His Majesty's Government would certainly adhere in the case of M. Mikolajczyk to the traditional British policy of granting asylum in this country to political refugees.
Lieut-Colonel Sir Thomas Moore
, Ayr District of Burghs
In view of the fact that we were largely responsible for sending this great patriot back to Poland, will the Government take every step to facilitate his escape—if escape is possible—and his journey to this country?
Mr Christopher Mayhew
, Norfolk Southern
I cannot go beyond what I have said.
Mrs Leah Manning
, Epping
Can my hon. Friend say why he agrees with the assumption that M. Mikolajczyk is in danger of arrest and judicial murder at the hands of the Polish Government?
Mr Christopher Mayhew
, Norfolk Southern
I have not in the least admitted all those implications.
Professor Douglas Savory
, Queen's University of Belfast
Will the hon. Gentleman be good enough to give the House the earliest possible information about the safety of M. Mikolajczyk?
Mr Christopher Mayhew
, Norfolk Southern
I have no information to give, but I have no doubt that if a Question is put later we will see that a reply is given.
Major Donald Bruce
, Portsmouth North
Will my hon. Friend make it clear that he does not concede the inference contained in the last part of the original Question, and will he also bear in mind that before the war no representations were received from members of the Anglo-German Fellowship with regard to judicial murders in Germany?
Mr Christopher Mayhew
, Norfolk Southern
All this is getting very wide of the original Question.
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