Spectator's Notebook
IF a leading article in The Times thunders at the Tories, ordering them to drop a political bone, it is fairly certain that the Tories are, in fact, on a sound point. And so, in the case of Wilson and the Spanish frigates, they are. Not because of the value of this particular order, nor even for the sake Of the larger order for an aircraft carrier which might have followed. There are two reasons. First, because of the effect that Wilson's speech Is bound to have on other orders for ordinary Machinery and goods. I was at the British Trade pair at Barcelona in the spring. There is an enormous potential industrial market for us in SPain and plenty of good will. Spain is on the Point of a huge industrial expansion and there are only a handful of countries that can help her. We are one and if we do not, our competi- tors will. In theory, no doubt we can refuse' naval help, though heaven knows who the Labour Party think will be menaced by a frigate, and continue to trade in 'civilian' goods. In Practice, much good will has been lost and this must be reflected in our orders. Much of the excellent work done in Barcelona by Mr. Heath, Sir William McFadzean and Sir Norman Kipping On behalf of British exports will have been destroyed.
The second reason is even more serious. Once More Harold Wilson has shown himself as a narrow nationalist. Once more he walks the World's stage as a party politician. There were twenty-seven speeches in the two-day foreign affairs debate before Wilson made the final sPeech for the Opposition, and not one of them Made more than a passing reference to Spain. Wilson dropped Spain in at the end of his speech. tveryone knew the reason. He had a difficult Speech to make, and he was not commanding even his own side of the House. So he gave them the last three minutes on Franco and Spain
sure a trigger for Labour cheers as groundnuts' to a Tory. Mr. Butler's reply was lore prescient: 'I appeal to the House on this heferre 1 conclude. My appeal is that the arms
for Spain deal has not yet been concluded. We have received no final arrangement or answer from the Spanish Government and I only hope that this exchange in the House will not make the deal impossible.' It doesn't seem an improper question to ask whether we can afford Mr. Wilson.
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