Orders of the Day — Northern Ireland (Border Poll) Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 21 November 1972.

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Photo of Mr Merlyn Rees Mr Merlyn Rees , Leeds South 12:00, 21 November 1972

The hon. Gentleman has put his finger precisely on the point I was making. I take it from what the Secretary of State said today that he has not yet made up his mind. If people are told, "If you want a link with the United Kingdom, this will happen" and then, a week or two later, they are told "These are the terms under which you will be in the United Kingdom", such a statement is made with some degree of false pretences. The hon. Gentleman has summed up our view.

What the Northern Ireland Labour Party said is this: We have insisted that the plebiscite must follow the publication of the British Government's White Paper so that the people of Northern Ireland are fully aware of their responsibilities and obligations of continuing to live within the United Kingdom. The hon. Member for Walthamstow, East (Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson) put the matter in different words, but he probably knew that it was the view of the Northern Ireland Labour Party and the moderates in the North of Ireland.