Although he had been advised to! resign his seat and to contest the by-election, Mr. Thomas proceeded, the dictates' of his conscience prevented him from following that course, 'He thanked all parties for "their! kindness and generosity during his 27 years' membership of the House, and hoped that he had contributed 1o what to-day was almost the only Bulwark of democrat government the world.
As he sat down amid sympathetic applause from some benches, says Havas, Mr. Thomas was obviously struggling "to control his emotion. Then he stood up again, amid dead silence. Moving toward. the contra bowed slightly to the Speaker and lett the House.
Mr. Thomas was followed by Sir Alfred Butt, who emphatically denied that any Cabinet Minister, consciously or unconsciously, had disclosed any confidential information, He complained of the grave injustice because tha findings were upon evidence which did not justify the trial.
"The resignations will necessitate by-elections in Derby, for which Mr. 'Thomas has sat continuously since 1910, having been returned at the last two' general elections as a National Labour member, and in the Balham and Tooting division, which has returned Sir Alfred Bult as a Conserv: tive member since 1922."
The debate was opened by the Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, who emphasized ihe difference between the Judiciat Tribunal which Parliament had constituted for the purpose} of inquiry into the Budget disclosures and an ordinary court of law since, said, grave injustice would be done to the two members affected by the report if distinction were overlooked and they were regarded as having been found guilty of a criminal act.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.