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: £ aH ‘anabeD Te () The Matter ls Raleed fa the Howse” os “169, The disappearance of Christine Keeler—-and the front page ‘of the Daily Express—had the inevitable result. Rumours multiplied that Mr, Profumo was responsible for her disappearance. Within a week, on Thursday, 2ist March, 1963, these rumours found voice in the House of Commons. Shortly after 11 pm. Mr. George Wigg rose and said, “ There ig not an Hon. Member in the House, nor & journalist in the Press Gallery, nor do I believe is there a person in the public gallery who, in the last few days, has not heard rumour upon rumour involving a Member of the Government Front Bench... ..1 myself use. the Privilege of the House of Commons—that is. what it is given me for—to ask the Home Secretary to go to the Despatch Box . . he knows that the rumour to which I refer rélates to Miss Christine Keeler and Miss Davies and a shooting by a West Indian—and on behalf of the Government, categoricalfy deny the truth of these rumours . .. . on the other hand, if there is anything in them set op a Select Committee.” Mr. Crossman supported him. About 1150 p.m. Mrs. Castle asked this question, “ What if it is a perversion of justice that is at stake? The Clerk of the Central Criminal Court is reported as saying, ‘if any member of the public did know where Miss Keeler was, it is his or tier duty to inform the police’. If accusations are made that there are people in high places who do know and are not informing the police, is it not a matter of public interest interest? ” 10. These were remarks of uch significance. They clearly imputed that Mr. Profumo had been responsible for the disappearance of Christine Keeler. So ‘471. “There were ‘four Ministers who | were in the Chamber and heard these remarks, namely, Mr. Henry Brooke, the Home Secretary, Mr. Wilham Deedes, the Minister without Portfolio, Sic- John Hobson, the Attorney- General, and Sir Peter Rawlinson, the Solicitor-General. Mr. Iain Macleod was in the Chamber for the last part. He heard the whole of Mrs. Castle's remarks. After the remarks were made, Mr. William Deedes at once went out and reported them to the Chief Whip (Mr. Martin Redmayne, who had not been in the Chamber, and had not heard them). It was clear that Mr. Heaory Brooke would be expected to reply to them. He could not leave the Chamber but the Chief Whip, with the assistance of the Attomey-General and the Solicitor-General, drafted out a form of words to suggest to him. Mr. Brooke adopted them in his reply in these words: - - “I do not propose to comment on rumours which hagiy been raised under the cloak of Privilege and safe from any action st Tiw. The Hon. Member for Dudicy (Mr. Wigg) and the Hon. Member fer for Blackburn (Mrs. Castle) should seek other means of making these insinuations if they are prepared to substantiate them.” M