A Spectator's Notebook
MOST MPS MAY BE SATISFIED with Mr. Maudling's explanation Of the Government's action in the case of Mr. Lang, but that Is no reason why the rest of us should be anything but dis- turbed by the implications. A solicitor employed by IC1 was considered to be a security risk by the Ministry of Supply : his employers, who have apparently nothing whatsoever against him, were faced with a clear ultimatum (either get rid of him or expect no more secret Government contracts), succumbed to the pressure, and dismissed him. When questioned in the Com- mons, the Minister of Supply dropped the security curtain with 411 iron clang. All that we know from his answers is that one of the factors influencing the decision was his wife's former membership of the Communist Party. What were the other, and presumably weightier, reasons which led the Government to put such extraordinary pressure on a private firm to dismiss a senior employee whom they appeared to value highly? Nobody knows. The Minister only had to rattle the blessed security curtain and murmur the words 'solemn responsibility' for the House to slump into a baffled and stupefied acqui- escence. Now, all this would be tolerable if (a) we were con- vinced that such extreme stringency as we inevitably accept In time of war is necessary now, and (b) if we had good reason to put implicit faith in our security services. As it is, the area of doubt in both cases is far too large to let such arbitrary decisions on the part of the Government pass without at least a murmur of alarm. * * *
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