Support From Parliament

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31107, 9 July 1966, Page 15

Support From Parliament

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON, July 8.

The House of Commons last night endorsed the Government’s decision to dissociate Britain from American bombing of oil depots near Hanoi and Haiphong.

It defeated an Opposition motion critical of its policy by 331 to 230 —a majority of 101. The motion wanted the House to support American military measures to “convince the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong that they cannot win the war.” It took the form of an amendment to a government motion asking for approval of its policy. This also resulted in a victory for the Government, but this time the majority dropped to 69 as Left wingers in the Labour Party abstained. The voting was 299 votes to 230. The Left-wing Labour mem-

ber, Mr Konnie Zilliacus, said that as long the Government backed the United States at all they would be regarded as “stool pigeons of the American eagle, and not doves of peace.” The British Foreign Secretary, Mr Michael Stewart, defined the steps Britain thinks must be taken soon if the Vietnamese war is not to spread to a wider conflict: 1. First, a truce. 2. Next, a phased withdrawal of all foreign troops, to be arranged at a new Geneva peace conference. 3. Finally a free choice by all Vietnamese, in the North and South, on the sort of future they want. During the debate, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Edward Heath, accused the government of “abandoning the Commonwealth” in its dissociation from the bombing raids.