"The whole channel ports are in this hands with all the strategic con-Jsequences that follow from that and we must expect that another blow will be struck immediately at us or France. We are told Hiller has a plan for invading the British Isles. This often has been thought of before.
"The whole question of home defence against invasion is, of course, powerfully affected by the fact that Wwe have for the time being in this island incomparably more powerful military forees than we ever had at any moment in this war or the last.
"This will not continue, We shall! not he content with a defensive war. We have our duty to our Allies. We ave to reconstitute and bulla up the BEF, once again under the gallant" Commander-in-Chief, Lord "Ail this is in train and in the interval we must put the defences of these Islands into such a high state of organization that the fewest possible numbers will be required fo give effective security and the largest possible potential offensive effort may be realized. On this we are now engaged.
it will be convenient if it be desired that the House enter on this subject in secret session (cheers). Not that the Government would neces-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.