Orders of the Day — Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 21 December 1964.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Brigadier Terence Clarke Brigadier Terence Clarke , Portsmouth West 12:00, 21 December 1964

On the subject of a murder Bill which the hon. Member was to produce in this House. I got replies from more than 200 people of whom two were abolitionists and the rest were against the proposals. Of the letters sent to the evening paper a much higher proportion were for retaining the death penalty than for abolition. We must not take a high and arrogant attitude in this House thinking that we know so much better than all the people who put us here. I hope that many of those who put us here will take note of how we vote tonight. I am sure that anyone who had the temerity to put this proposal in his election address at the last election—[Interruption.] I have given way once to the hon. Member for Nelson and Colne. If he wishes to say something I will give way again.

This is a most important subject, and I am surprised that it has been brought forward as a Private Member's Bill. There has been a public opinion poll which has shown an enormous majority in favour of retaining the death penalty. I am certain that the death penalty is a deterrent. I believe the hon. Member for Nelson and Colne admitted that it was, and certainly the former Home Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead (Mr. Brooke), said that it was. I was not quite sure what the new Home Secretary said. He seemed to be almost as weak with the criminal as the two Home Secretaries who preceded him. I do not know what happens to people when they become Home Secretaries. They get so wet that they ought to be hung up.

This is a deterrent. A murderer should most certainly hang. If there is a matter of doubt in anyone's mind, I have no doubt whatever. I do not think anyone up to now has swung who has not committed a murder. That suggestion is merely used by people who write books and gain money by writing books. If every murderer were shown to be guilty in the books there would be no story to tell. So they have to make a story saying that a man was hanged unnecessarily and then everyone will buy the book.