Foreign Affairs

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 20 December 1957.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mr Martin Maddan Mr Martin Maddan , Hitchin 12:00, 20 December 1957

I echo the last words of the hon. Member for Attercliffe (Mr. J. Hynd) and agree with him that the ultimate objective of the foreign policies of every nation must be world government because this is the only way to guarantee the peace of its people. I also echo the sentiment of the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Pitman) that unless this objective is held clearly before us, and worked for, our foreign policy can be nothing but a series of expedients.

I want to address myself to N.A.T.O. and our defences in N.A.T.O. against Russia and the proposition put by the right hon. Member for Ebbw Vale (Mr. Bevan) and echoed by the hon. Member for Attercliffe. I do not see how it contributes to realistic thinking. It confuses time and space, and I do not see that neutral zones running up and down the middle of Europe, or anywhere else, will be very relevant when we have intermediate range ballistic missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles hovering over the horizon.