Engagements

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 7 Chwefror 1991.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Mr John Major Mr John Major , Huntingdon 12:00, 7 Chwefror 1991

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman. I know that he shares my contempt for terrorism, which he has just expressed again most eloquently. It is clear from the timing of this morning's attack that it was a deliberate attempt both to kill the Cabinet and to do damage to our democratic system of government. It failed. In no circumstances could it possibly have succeeded. Many people in this country, including most noticeably those many brave people in Northern Ireland, have been the victims of terrorist attacks on many occasions. None of those attacks succeeded in changing the policy of successive Governments, nor the policies or principles of this House in any single iota—nor will they. The IRA's record is one of deep failure in every respect. That failure was demonstrated yet again today. It is about time the IRA learned that democracies cannot be intimidated by terrorism and we rightly treat it with contempt.