August 3, 2013

Finest Hour 122, Spring 2004

Page 46

Edited and annotated by Paul H. Courtenay

Question Time is that period in the Parliamentary week where Members are allowed to ask the Prime Minister any question, governed only by decorum and the judgment of the Speaker as to whether they are genuinely asking questions or (commonly) giving a speech. Churchill was a master of Question Time, as Mr. Courtenay demonstrates.


DEMOCRACY TRUMPS GREED

On 13 April 1943 a Member asked, “Is the Prime Minister aware that while he is using up his genius and undoubted energy in winning the war, the big industrialists and big financiers are taking care they win the peace? What is the Prime Minister going to do to prevent terrible disaster such as happened after the last war?” WSC: “A firm reliance on representative government and Parliamentary institutions, based on the operation of practically universal suffrage.”

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A QUESTION OF TRUST

On 1 April 1943 a Member urged that the conduct of the war against the German U-boats should be debated at an early date. WSC: “I should deprecate a discussion upon this subject, and even in Secret Session I should feel very much hampered in stating the full case. I must ask for a measure of confidence.”

GASEOUS SCRUPLES

On 4 May 1943 a Member asked that before the country embarked on gas warfare a neutral observer should certify beyond doubt that the enemy had used gas. WSC: “Retaliatory action will not be taken until His Majesty’s Government are convinced that gas has been used by the enemy, but we have no intention of inviting neutrals to assist us in this matter. I have very good confidence that we shall receive true information from our Russian allies.”

ROYAL PREROGATIVES

On 23 March 1943 a Member asked for an undertaking that no answer to any Axis peace proposals should be made until the House of Commons had had an opportunity of expressing its opinion of them. WSC: “An assurance of this kind would be contrary to constitutional usage, by which such issues are reserved to the Crown, acting on the advice of Ministers, who are themselves responsible to Parliament for their conduct.”

FRENCH SACRIFICE

On 17 March 1943 a Member asked whether the sufferings of French civilians had been considered in the planning of air attacks on Lorient. WSC: “Very heavy blows have already been delivered by the RAF and the United States Army Air Corps against the U-boat bases, both in Germany and in occupied France. We have repeatedly urged the French population to leave coastal areas. A large part of the civil population of Brest and Lorient have in fact been evacuated and the Germans have attempted to conceal the severity of the raids from the German crews expected to use Lorient. The qualities of resistance displayed by the French people day by day are well known, and I have no doubt that they will understand that operations such as the bombing of Lorient will bring victory nearer and thus hasten the day of France’s deliverance.”

NO-MAN’S-LAND

On 15 April 1943 a Member asked the Prime Minister to advise that the political truce at by-elections should be terminated. WSC: “It followed therefore, when a national coalition was formed, in which all three parties officially participated with full representation in Ministerial office, the foundations and authority of the truce should be even more firmly established. The only advice I have to offer is that all those who are resolute to see the war through to a victorious conclusion should avail themselves of every occasion to mark their disapproval of truce-breakers.”

The Member pointed out that the truce was creating a number of small political groups. WSC: “I cannot think these small political groups will live very long after the great parties divide and set upon each other. I think that will at any rate exercise a salutary effect in clearing no-man’s-land.”

FACTS IN WARTIME

On 25 March 1943 a Member urged that figures of shipping losses should be made known to the public. WSC: “All sorts of claims are made by the German radio, and they would very much like to know how far adrift they are from the truth. But nothing would induce me, while I am responsible, to do anything to clarify enemy knowledge on this matter….I see the enemy making all sorts of absurd claims, and I much prefer to leave him in his delusions than to give him the accurate information to enable him to find out what success he has had….If there is a general desire, I could say things in Secret Session that I should not be able to say outside….On the other hand, I should not like, even in Secret Session, to give the facts.” 

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