28 MAY 1965, Page 6

Prunier Papers

The Prime Minister is adepteat emitting smoke- screens, but it is to be hoped that Mr. Bernard Braine will press his demand for a full inquiry into the affair of the lost papers. The finder was, of course, wrong to take them to the Daily Express, but this has nothing to do with the gross carelessness of a Cabinet Minister who was so fond of lecturing his fellow MPs on security precautions. I would be happy to give evidence from my personal knowledge of the earlier part of the evening. It is said that the papers were picked up 'accidentally.' Cer- tainly they were neither in a brief-case nor an envelope, nor even in the Minister's pocket. Certainly scores of people must have seen them and been aware that some of them were classi- fied. And certainly if a Tory Minister had been involved Mr. Wilson and Mr. Crossman would have led the demand for an inquiry.