Orders of the Day — Greek Trade Unionists (Trial)

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 5 November 1948.

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Photo of Mr Philip Piratin Mr Philip Piratin , Stepney Mile End 12:00, 5 November 1948

This gentleman was not allowed to act as an observer. The Greek Government refused him a visa, and I suggest that one can only reach certain conclusions—that they did not want to have a jurist present who would understand the procedure and be able to report independently upon it. When the Foreign Secretary was informed of this, he took no action, and in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for West Fife he said—I quote from a letter which he sent yesterday, and which was delivered today: As regards the Greek Government's refusal to grant a visa to Mr. Simmonds, you may know that the Greek Embassy here have made public the reason for this refusal. It is that they have good reason to believe that his visit, although nominally sponsored by the Haldane Society, was in fact planned at the instigation of the League for Democracy for Greece… How the Foreign Secretary can know that is to me a matter of amazement. All that the Foreign Secretary knows is that the Haldane Society appointed this lawyer, and I imagine sponsored him and was prepared to pay his expenses, to go there. Yet, without any evidence—