Orders of the Day — Security (MR. Profumo's Resignation)

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 17 June 1963.

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Photo of Mr Iain Macleod Mr Iain Macleod , Enfield West 12:00, 17 June 1963

On Friday, 22nd March, a few minutes after II o'clock, and after I had made a short business statement, the Secretary of State for War rose to make a personal statement. The House was unusually full for a Friday. On one side of him sat the Prime Minister; on the other side, myself. This was commented on, and it was taken, perfectly fairly, as a sign that we believed in the statement which the Secretary of State was about to make. Therefore, it is quite right that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and I should explain to the House why we came to the conclusions we did.

Some people are surprised, perhaps, that the penalty for a lie should be as fierce as it is in this case, but no one who cares about the House of Commons can think this for a moment, because the whole structure of our life together is built on the fact that although we do not trust each other's policies we trust each other's word. Therefore, although this is, I admit, a savage blow to the Government and to public life in this country, it is also, because of that very fact, a blow to the House of Commons, too.

What I wish to do is to trace the various confrontations which have taken place, in particular the one on the night of 21st-22nd March to which so much reference has been made. As I shall sometimes be speaking for myself but sometimes of meetings at which I was not present, it is desirable, I think, to make plain at the outset where I have personal knowledge and where I have not.

As far as I know, I have never met or had any correspondence with any of the characters, male or female, who have been mentioned in this matter, with the exception, of course, of Mr. Profumo. The first time I had a discussion with Mr. Profumo was at the meeting on the night of 21st-22nd March, when, because it was raised in the House of Commons and it had to be answered in the House of Commons, it became a House of Commons matter; but I have been most closely into the previous meetings with the Law Officers, who naturally, feel very keenly indeed about some of the slurs—they can be regarded in no other way—on the adequacy of the inquiries which they have made.

This is the story, wherever possible, in the words of the Law Officers themselves. On 28th January, the Solicitor-General learned of rumours about Mr. Profumo's name being associated with Miss Keeler, who was about to give evidence at the Old Bailey. He told the Attorney-General, who at once informed Mr. Profumo, and Mr. Profumo came to see the Attorney-General that night. The Attorney-General emphasised to him the vital importance of complete frankness and of telling the whole truth, and he then told the Attorney-General the same story that he later repeated to the House and which he maintained consistently in all its details until his confession on 4th June.

He asserted the complete innocence of his friendship with Miss Keeler and said that not only had there been no adultery but that no sexual impropriety of any sort had taken place. He wrote the note which had been referred to on the day when he had been seen by Sir Norman Brook and warned not to go to Mr. Ward's flat. Here hon. Members opposite who tried to interrupt my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Chertsey (Sir L. Heald) were right and my right hon. and learned Friend was wrong. As far as the dates are concerned, it does not alter the right hon. Gentleman's argument in the least, but, just for the record, the two warnings were further apart than he suggested. The first was on 8th June and the second, which is also the date of the letter, was on 9th August, two months later.

The Attorney-General told Mr. Profumo that if his story was true he would have to take proceedings as soon as he had proof of any libellous publication. Mr. Profumo repeated that there was nothing in the rumours and he was then advised to seek the best obtainable legal advice, and he consulted Mr. Derek Clogg, the senior partner of Theodore Goddard and Co. and a solicitor of the highest reputation and widest experience.

Two days later both Law Officers saw Mr. Profumo and the Solicitor-General put the same points again to him. The story was again the same, and he was asked, "Are you prepared to issue a writ if anything should appear which can be judged libellous?", and Mr. Profumo said that he would do this, even if the person concerned was a friend, even if the person concerned was a colleague. On 3rd February, Mr. Derek Clogg came to see the Attorney-General and confirmed on behalf of Mr. Profumo that the relationship with the girl was exactly as Mr. Profumo had told him.

There are some other matters to add briefly. First, the Attorney-General had understood, and he had, of course, confirmed, that before 4th February Mr. Profumo had deliberately instructed his solicitors to take proceedings for an injunction against any paper which proposed to publish any story by Miss Keeler imputing any impropriety to him, and he had also asked his solicitors to get in touch with the Director of Public Prosecutions. When the trial of Edgecombe opened at the Old Bailey on 14th March and Miss Keeler did not appear, the House will remember that the rumours began to start—it was actually this point and not the question of impropriety which was raised in the House by hon.Mem-bars—that Mr. Profumo was concerned with her disappearance. There had been some comments on that this afternoon. It was to this point that inquiries in the House were addressed and on this the Attorney-General spoke to him and he was assured—again this assurance was repeated in the personal statement—that neither he nor anyone on his behalf had anything to do with the absence of Miss Keeler as a witness.

So we come to the night of 21st-22nd March.