Orders of the Day — Emergency Laws (Miscellaneous Provisions)

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 27 November 1952.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mr James Hudson Mr James Hudson , Ealing North 12:00, 27 November 1952

The matter was really dealt with by the Conservative Party before the Election when a deputation of the churches led by the Bishop of Rochester put the issue, in which the churches and the Temperance movement were interested, including in particular this question of the clubs. The Bishop began his speech by saying to the present Chancellor of the Exchequer, who received the deputation in place of the present Prime Minister, that he hoped the Conservative Party might view with favour the aims of the Temperance movement because some of them who wished to give a vote for temperance wanted to feel they could vote Conservative too. He spoke as a Conservative to the Conservative leaders.

What was it the Conservative leaders said about clubs? First, the Bishop had said that the Temperance movement had no quarrel with clubs as such, but they complained of the mere drinking club where, through lack of inspection, the liquor laws could not be administered. Moreover, he said that the closing of redundant public houses could not be carried out in the way the Legislature had intended if clubs were to be substituted.

The Chancellor did not at once reply to that submission, but before the deputation left the leader of the Methodist Church said there was the issue of the clubs to be replied to, and the Chancellor agreed that there were the perfectly legitimate clubs, and there was also the problem presented to Parliament by the clubs organised for purely drinking purposes. These, he said, were socially undesirable, and he promised to consider this matter further with his colleagues.

Well, we have the result of the consideration, and the suspension of this Regulation is proposed. I am willing to admit that my own party as well as the party opposite have very many people associated with them, and many of the best people, who are fearful that further legislation may mean the suppression of perfectly genuine institutions. I am sure that they are wrong.

No one who is really genuinely concerned with temperance has ever wanted to suppress the majority of the clubs in the country. What has been the evil all along has been the sort of disreputable institution that came to the surface during war-time. What has been wrong is that we have not had the means until now of dealing with that sort of place.