Oral Answers to Questions — Government Departments – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 27 Tachwedd 1947.
Mr Cyril Osborne
, Louth Borough
12:00,
27 Tachwedd 1947
asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury in view of the fact that during this financial crisis the nation is spending more on tobacco than it can afford, if he will give a lead to the country and set an example to private industry by issuing instructions that smoking will be prohibited in all Government offices during working hours.
Mr William Hall
, Colne Valley
I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 29th April last to my hon. Friend, the Member for Widnes (Mr. Shawcross).
Mr Cyril Osborne
, Louth Borough
In view of the enormous increase in smoking during the last few years, and the shortage of food, will not the right hon. Gentleman make an appeal to the men of the country to smoke less, so that the women and children can have more food?
Mr Joseph Alpass
, Thornbury
Does my right hon. Friend not agree that it would be a good thing if, during the financial crisis, Members of this House set a good example by discontinuing the smoking of expensive cigars?
Mr Thomas Skeffington-Lodge
, Bedford
Does not the idea set out in this Question completely conflict with the Tory idea of setting the people free?
The political party system in the English-speaking world evolved in the 17th century, during the fight over the ascension of James the Second to the Throne. James was a Catholic and a Stuart. Those who argued for Parliamentary supremacy were called Whigs, after a Scottish word whiggamore, meaning "horse-driver," applied to Protestant rebels. It was meant as an insult.
They were opposed by Tories, from the Irish word toraidhe (literally, "pursuer," but commonly applied to highwaymen and cow thieves). It was used — obviously derisively — to refer to those who supported the Crown.
By the mid 1700s, the words Tory and Whig were commonly used to describe two political groupings. Tories supported the Church of England, the Crown, and the country gentry, while Whigs supported the rights of religious dissent and the rising industrial bourgeoisie. In the 19th century, Whigs became Liberals; Tories became Conservatives.
