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GV Houses of Parliament.
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2.
SCU Mr. Lever. Interviewer asks question.
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INTERVIEWER: "Harold Lever, you're one of the three cabinet - shadow cabinet members to resign on this issue. Why have you chosen this to resign on?"



LEVER: "Because, firstly I am fundamentally opposed to the concept of a referendum which I believe to be immensely dangerous to our parliamentary democratic system. Secondly, I object to the way in which the decision was taken - that is to say Shadow Cabinet reaffirmed the oft-reaffirmed position on referendum only a fortnight before it switched to the other decision and thirdly I am very much afraid that the public is getting the wrong opinion about the Labour Party's position on the Common Market. Its position is, remains, very firmly, that in principle we accept entry but we don't accept officially the terms of entry. And so the difference between me and my Shadow Cabinet colleagues was that I thought the terms of entry were reasonable and they thought they ought to be renegotiated more favourably."




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Background: Three senior members of the British Labour Party resigned from the Shadow Cabinet on Monday (10 April) in a move that split the Opposition wide open on the issue of Europe.

The three were Mr. Roy Jenkins - who leaves the position of deputy-leader of the Party, and two former ministers, Mr. George Thomson and Mr. Harold Lever.

Mr. Jenkins stated that the main reason for his resignation was the Show Cabinet's decision to reverse its previous policy - and support the idea of a referendum before British entry into the Common Market becomes final.

Mr. Harold Lever appeared on the BBC programme "24 Hours" to face questioner, Austin Mitchell.

SYNOPSIS: London - and one of three senior Labour Party members who've resigned their positions over the Common Market question appeared on television on Monday night.