The Lords and Tsbekedi
Indications that uneasiness about the treatment of Tshekedi Khama is increasing in Labour circles, as it should, are provided by a letter from Mrs. Eirene White, a Labour M.P., in Tuesday's Times and the question asked by Lord Stansgate, a Labour Peer, in the House of Lords the same day. In reply to it Lord Lucan, the recently appointed Under-Secretary for Commonwealth Relations, did, and no doubt could do, no more than retail the completely unconvincing statement made by his chief. Mr. Gordon-Walker, in an address to the Overseas Empire Corre- spondents Association last week. Lord Salisbury having put his finger on the root of the problem by declaring that " Tshekedi has not committed any crime or any offence of any kind, and the Government's decision appears to be entirely contrary to the principles of British justice," and Lord Samuel having joined in the request for an early debate, the Lord Chancellor at once agreed. That is satisfactory, but a debate in the Lords is no substitute for a debate in the Commons, where the Secretary for Commonwealth Relations can be put on his own defence. The Liberal motion on the subject is m fact to be debated there on Tuesday—with Mr. Churchill planting himself squarely beside the Liberals.
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