57
is he going to say anything else about the very summarised
details then given to the House, and may we take it that if
we put questions later to-night to the Foreign Secretary,
we may get far more information than we have had so
far ? "
the prime minister : " I do not think I can promise
that the right hon. Gentleman will get far more information
than what I consider is the rather full information already
given, but perhaps he will put his questions, and then my
right hon. Friend will see how far it is possible to meet
him.
" Now I will pass to the question of Spain, on which the
right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Opposition was very
critical of the actions of the Government. The record of
the Opposition in the matter of Spain has not been altogether
a happy one.. The House will recollect that in July last, when
the policy of non-intervention was in some considerable
jeopardy, owing to the failure on the part of the nations
concerned to agree upon the crucial points of belligerent
rights and the withdrawal of volunteers, His Majesty's Govern-
ment were invited by the other Powers to try and put an end
to the deadlock by preparing some kind of compromise plan,
but as soon as we had produced that plan, before even the
Governments which had asked us to prepare it had had any
opportunity of saying what they thought about it, the
Opposition demanded the Adjournment of the House in
order that they might condemn it and demand its withdrawal.
The House did not agree with the Opposition on that occasion.
What has happened since? The right hon. Gentleman
described the policy of non-intervention as one dictated by
expediency, and he said that the expediency had failed. He
does not seem to have followed the actual circumstances of
the case. What does he mean by expediency ? If he means
that the policy of non-intervention was designed to prevent
the conflict spreading beyond the borders of Spain—-and I
agree that that was the object of the policy—then, so far
from failing, it has been a complete success."
mr. david grenfell : " The right hon. Gentleman is
making a charge against a party. Was not the object of
non-intervention to stop intervention ? "