WES TM STEP HAUL
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WITH A muttered "Excusez-rnoiJohn Silkin, Britain's Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food, will slip away from his colleagues in Brussels.
"House of Commons business" he will explain, as he,quits a European group scratching their heads in bewilderment about the odd British who cannot manage their affairs so that a Minister is able to sit through a meeting fixed weeks ago.
Well, if Mr Silkin finds himself somewhat shamefaced he has no-one to blame but his friends. The Tories would be only too happy to save him that particular embarrassment.
As they made perfectly plain in the Commons last week they would be only too happy if the agriculture debate, which they have asked for, were held before Mr Silkin left for Brussels.
But no. That day is to be set aside for the Transport Bill. The Government has willed it that way.
Why? Will the transport measure suffer irreparable harm if its Second Reading is delayed a few days? Are William Rodgers' movements severely restricted? Or is it that Mr Silkin just cannot take part in a debate on the day when he is due to ansWer questions?
Michael Foot, Leader of the House of Commons, knows. But Mr Foot is not telling. He spent nearly half an hours not telling.
Ever listened to a politician sidestepping a direct question? Infuriating isn't it? Tory MPs were in a right state when they found themselves at the receiving end of this stock-intrade political exercise.
It was not that the Conservatives did not want to discuss the Transport Bill. It was just that — as Eldon Griffiths pointed out — they could not see why the measure was so much more important than giving the Agriculture Minister an opportunity to hear the views of Members before he went to Brussels.
He had already answered that, replied Mr Foot — an answer so unsatisfactory that there was instant uproar. And when the noise subsided the Leader added that he had answered it about four times—an observation so breathtaking that it left the Tories speechless.
Eventually it emerged that an explanation had been given. Through "the usual channels." In other words the Government had "Told All" in private talks with the Opposition leaders.
So Margaret Thatcher was in on the secret. But it would seem that she was not convinced by what she had been told — for she had started off the row by asking Mr Foot to change his mind.
How she must have been tempted to get up and say what she knew! BLit such things are not done, and Mrs Thatcher remained mum.