Orders of the Day — Prices and Incomes Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 21 May 1968.

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Photo of Sir Edward Brown Sir Edward Brown , Bath 12:00, 21 May 1968

I warn hon. Gentlemen opposite that, whatever the result of tonight's vote, they have lost the confidence of the people and the trade union movement. The vote tonight will make no difference. They will not recover the confidence of the nation by trying to scrap something here and add something there. The right hon. Member for Belper (Mr. George Brown) came clean when he said that he wanted to see this as a permanent Measure. It was the first time that he had come clean on this issue. We have seen the opposition of some hon. Gentlemen opposite who will abstain. If the Labour Party are still in power in 18 months' time, I am sure that they will introduce yet another Prices and Incomes Bill, which will be an even worse one.

The right hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Shinwell) summed up the debate for me when he gave notice to the Govern-that they had lost the respect of their supporters in the House. They have never had the respect of my hon. Friends, and we look forward in the next few months to seeing this Measure bring them down, even if it is only in another place.