East-West Relations

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 5:10 pm on 22 February 1990.

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Photo of Mr Eric Heffer Mr Eric Heffer , Liverpool, Walton 5:10, 22 February 1990

Is my hon. Friend aware that at least some Opposition Members were not keen about the language that the Prime Minister used about German unification, but some of us who had a certain experience at one time of our lives as young fellows, have never quite forgotten that experience, and we have a worry about this matter? That is why the Labour party split after the war on the question of German rearmament. Some of us feel very strongly about that matter, although in principle, we are in favour of German reunification.

If my hon. Friend reads Le Monde, he will know that the French are very concerned—all the French. My hon. Friend must not imagine that he speaks for the whole of the Labour party, as I saw him claim to do on television the other day. We want unification, but we want to be certain that there are safeguards, so that we never again see the situation that arose before.