The First Economic Crisis came after a Labour Government had been in office for three years, and the second has come after a Labour Government has been in office for four years.

What they expect from this House is honourable dealing, a recognition that when they negotiate an agreement it ought to be honoured by this House, that this is not the First Economic Crisis which we have had since the setting up of the Burnham Committee, that other severe crises have been survived and other Governments have continued to recognise the authority of the Burnham Committee.

It may have something to do with the fact that this is the First Economic Crisis to occur in a media age: 24-hour news demands, consumes and forces things and blows them out of proportion.