Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954), Friday 12 November 1948, page 1


THE CASE OF MBS. BRADDOCK, M.P.

Did she fig or not?

TO1VDON, iV*A4'. 11 (Special) ? Did Mrs. Ju Elisabeth iff. Braddock, 49-year-old Labour M.P., dance p. jig on the floor of the House of Commons on the nif/ltt of ltnil .'JO fns( ?

This was the 'simple issue I put by Mr. R. T. Paget. K.C., also a Labour M.P., in the High Court, when he appeared for Mrs. Braddock, who is suing Tillotson's Newspapers, Ltd., proprietors of the BOlton Evening News, for alleged libel. Auburn-haired, severely Eton-cropped, red-faced, burly Mrs. Braddock complained of an article entitled 'Revelry by Night.' It read: — 'Amidst this unlovely burlesque, Mrs. Braddock danced a jig on the floor of the Commons, finishing in the seat vacated by Mr. Churchill, our greatest House of Commons man. The whole performance was nauseating, a sorry degradation of democratic government by discussion, the nadir, let us hope, of this Parliament.' Mr. Paget said the alleged incidents had occurred dur

ing the Transport Bill debate at 9.30 p.m. on April 30, when Conservative members left the House as a protest against the use of the guillotine. Labour members crossed the floor and sat in the Opposition benches, to relieve the Minister of the embarrassment of addressing empty benches. Cross-examined by Sir Walter Monckton, K.C. (for the defence.), she admitted: 'There was a feeling of excitement. Labour members at midnight sang the Red Flajj in the lobby, and I 'joined in.' Sir Walter Monckton, speaking for the defence, said: 'Mrs. Braddock walked across jauntily, her hand on her hip. It might not have been a jig in the eyes of a dancing master, but the word substantially described her uctian.' The hearing was adjourned.