Sir: D. A. N. Jones (Letters, 23 May) says I
am unfair to the left because the last Labour party conference carried a resolution calling upon the Government to stop the sale of arms to Nigeria. He quotes John Chalmers, replying for the executive: 'Finally I want to say that if there is a possibility of ending the civil war by stopping the supply of arms to Nigeria, then we call upon our Government to stop the Sup- ply now.'
Now I happen to know that the executive, meeting the previous day, had agreed to call; unconditionally, for a halt in the sale of arms. Yet in replying for the eitecutive, Mr Chalmers introduced the condition—'if there is a possi- bility of ending the civil war.' This condition effectively ruins the resolution because Harold Wilson has always justified his policy by the argument that stopping sale of arms would not stop the war.
Perhaps Mr Jones can enlighten us as to what, or who, caused Mr Chalmers to slip in this odd condition?
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