The people of England would be surprised and offended on learning, that during all this time, in This Cabinet Crisis, none of the really important questions had been raised, whether the budget should be abandoned, whether the income tax should be continued, and, in short, whether we were to have any relief from taxation.
I do not think the Second Chamber need trouble either the hon. Member or the Home Secretary, who apparently spent several sleepless nights in his efforts to avoid a Cabinet Crisis over this matter.
In fact, we are really astonished that it ever should have been suggested, and we have noticed that not only is it claimed through the Press that it has been suggested, but it has really been hinted that there has been a serious Crisis in the Cabinet in consequence of division on this point.
Mr. HARMSWORTH: The Recent Cabinet Crisis in Persia arose from the unwillingness of the former Persian Cabinet to carry out the decision of the Shah to dismiss the Russian officers in command of the Persian Cossack Division.
In consequence there ensued a Cabinet Crisis in Vienna, which in the course of the 11th of March led to the resignation of the former Federal Chancellor and the formation of a new Government.
Then the Crisis in the Cabinet became intense.
So far as we can judge from those antennae that we have put out into the political corridors, and from our readings in the Press which is addicted to the point of view of right hon. Gentlemen opposite, we find in the "New Statesmen" of last week that the Budget has brought about the most Serious Cabinet Crisis since 1945.
While I have no doubt that the President of the Board of Trade did some useful work in the countries he visited, was his absence from office really justifiable when there was a Serious Cabinet Crisis, bearing in mind that, after the Chancellor of the Exchequer, he is the Cabinet Minister most concerned with economic matters?
As far as the Cabinet Crisis was concerned, he drew a veil of obscurity over a situation of considerable ambiguity.
That has resulted in the Present Cabinet Crisis.
Last autumn, Ky caused a Cabinet Crisis by trying to pack his Ministry with his Northern friends.
It was a decision which precipitated a Cabinet Crisis.
The Prime Minister: There is no Crisis in the Cabinet, although there may be a crisis in the Labour Party.
Will she accept that, if there is no Crisis in the Cabinet, there should be?
There is no Crisis in the Cabinet, although there may be a crisis in the Labour Party.
For a Foreign Secretary seriously to consider resigning is no small matter, particularly on the night of the European elections and in the midst of a Cabinet Crisis.