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I beg to move,
That this House
welcomes the formation of a Government representing
the united and inflexible resolve of the nation to
prosecute the war with Germany to a victorious
conclusion.
On Friday evening
last I received His Majesty's commission to form a
new Administration. It as the evident wish and will
of Parliament and the nation that this should be
conceived on the broadest possible basis and that it
should include all parties, both those who supported
the late Government and also the parties of the
Opposition. I have completed the most important part
of this task. A War Cabinet has been formed of five
Members, representing, with the Opposition Liberals,
the unity of the nation. The three party Leaders
have agreed to serve, either in the War Cabinet or
in high executive office. The three Fighting
Services have been filled. It was necessary that
this should be done in one single day, on account of
the extreme urgency and rigour of events. A number
of other positions, key positions, were filled
yesterday, and I am submitting a further list to His
Majesty to-night. I hope to complete the appointment
of the principal Ministers during to-morrow. the
appointment of the other Ministers usually takes a
little longer, but I trust that, when Parliament
meets again, this part of my task will be completed,
and that the administration will be complete in all
respects.
I considered it in
the public interest to suggest that the House should
be summoned to meet today. Mr. Speaker agreed, and
took the necessary steps, in accordance with the
powers conferred upon him by the Resolution of the
House. At the end of the proceedings today, the
Adjournment of the House will be proposed until
Tuesday, 21st May, with, of course, provision for
earlier meeting, if need be. The business to be
considered during that week will be notified to
Members at the earliest opportunity. I now invite
the House, by the Motion which stands in my name, to
record its approval of the steps taken and to
declare its confidence in the new Government.
To form an
Administration of this scale and complexity is a
serious undertaking in itself, but it must be
remembered that we are in the preliminary stage of
one of the greatest battles in history, that we are
in action at many other points in Norway and in
Holland, that we have to be prepared in the
Mediterranean, that the air battle is continuous and
that many preparations, such as have been indicated
by my hon. Friend below the Gangway, have to be made
here at home. In this crisis I hope I may be
pardoned if I do not address the House at any length
today. I hope that any of my friends and colleagues,
or former colleagues, who are affected by the
political reconstruction, will make allowance, all
allowance, for any lack of ceremony with which it
has been necessary to act. I would say to the House,
as I said to those who have joined this government:
"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears
and sweat."
We have before us an
ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us
many, many long months of struggle and of suffering.
You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to
wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might
and with all the strength that God can give us; to
wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never
surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human
crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim?
I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at
all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory,
however long and hard the road may be; for without
victory, there is no survival. Let that be realised;
no survival for the British Empire, no survival for
all that the British Empire has stood for, no
survival for the urge and impulse of the ages, that
mankind will move forward towards its goal. But I
take up my task with buoyancy and hope. I feel sure
that our cause will not be suffered to fail among
men. At this time I feel entitled to claim the aid
of all, and I say, "come then, let us go
forward together with our united strength."
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