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HUGH McDIARMID: "HE APPROVED THE AMERICAN ACTION IN NORTH VIETNAM...EVEN THE BRITISH REPRESENTATIVE AT GENEVA (WHO IS NO GREAT SHAKES, IN ANY CASE) GAVE THEM THE LIE DIRECT. BUT SIR ALEC IS JUST A LUCKY AND A STOOGE OF THE PENTAGON, AND ANYTHING THEY SAY HE FALLS IN WITH". (APPLAUSE)



JOHN GOLLAN: "WE SAY LET'S STAND ON OUR OWN FEET. FINISH WITH THE AMERICANS. SEND THE YANKS HOME AND REALLY SEIZE THE DESTINY OF OUR OWN COUNTRY INTO OUR OWN HANDS. AND IF WE DO TAKE UP THIS INITIATIVE WE COULD THEN SUPPORT A NON-AGGRESSION AS PACT BETWEEN NATO AND THE WARSAW TREATY ORGANISATION AS THE FIRST STEP. AND WE ALSO SAY HERE, WE WILL NEVER SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF THE WORLD AS LONG AS WE DENY PEOPLE'S CHINA HER RIGHTFUL PLACE IN THE UNITED NATIONS".




Initials JM/V/MGT/SGM



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Background: THE RIVAL BRITISH POLITICAL PARTIES BEGAN THEIR GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGNS IN NEAREST THIS WEEKEND - ALTHOUGH THE ACTUAL DATE OF POLLING DAY IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE ANNOUNCED BY THE PRIME MINISTER UNTIL LATER THIS WEEK.

THE BRITISH COMMUNIST PARTY TODAY (SUNDAY) STAGED A RALLY ATTENDED BY SEVERAL THOUSAND SUPPORTERS IN LONDON'S HYDE PARK, FOLLOWING THE PUBLICATION OF ITS ELECTION MANIFESTO DURING THE WEEKEND
AMONG THE SPEAKERS WAS POET HUGH McDIARMID, WHO HAS BEEN SELECTED TO FIGHT THE PRIME MINISTER, SIR ALEC DOUGLAS-HOME IN HIS CONSTITUENCY AT KINROSS IN SCOTLAND. IN AN ATTACK ON SIR ALEC'S ATTITUDE TO AMERICAN ACTION AGAINST NORTH VIETNAM HE SAID:
ANOTHER SPEAKER WAS PARTY SECRETARY JOHN GOLLAN: IN AN ATTACK ON BRITAIN'S FOREIGN POLICY, HE SAID:
AFTER THE SPEECHES, PARTY SUPPORTERS MARCHED TO BBC (BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION) HEADQUARTERS TO PRESENT A PETITION DEMANDING TIME ON RADIO AND TELEVISION SO THE COMMUNIST PARTY CAN PRESENT ITS POLICIES TO A NATIONAL AUDIENCE. THE MARCHERS ALSO HANDED IN A SIMILAR PETITION TO THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE COMMERCIAL TELEVISION ORGANISATION IN BRITAIN.

(THE THREE MAIN PARTIES - CONSERVATIVES, SOCIALISTS AND LIBERALS - HAVE BEEN GRANTED TIME ON BOTH THE BBC AND COMMERCIAL TELEVISION NETWORKS, AS WELL AS THE BBC RADIO NETWORKS, DURING THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN. THE COMMUNIST PARTY - IN COMMON WITH OTHER MINORITY PARTIES - WILL NOT BE GRANTED THESE FACILITIES. THE COMMUNISTS PARTY HAS NO REPRESENTATIVES IN THE PRESENT BRITISH PARLIAMENT BUT 36 WILL BE CONTESTING THE FORTHCOMING ELECTION. OBSERVERS THINK THE MOST LIKELY DY FOR THE ELECTION IS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15TH.)