from Tony Topham The petition against Harold Wilson presenting the Silver Cod, with hundreds of signatures of fishermen and other trade unionists, has this week been sent to Mr. Fred Peart, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, who agreed to take Mr. Wilson's place at the ceremony, after the latter had withdrawn, The following letter to Mr, Peart accompanied the petition:
St. Andrews' Dock, Hull. Dear Mr, Peart, February 27th, 1967.
Enclosed you will find the signed petition asking the Prime Minister not to present the Silver Cod, and, giving our reasons for this request. We-were pleased to hear that Mr, Wilson had withdrawn from the ceremony, but disappointed and dismayed to learn that you had agreed to take his place. We believe that it is as inappropriate for you to present the trophy as for Mr. Wilson, At a time when feeling is running so high among trawlermen against the owners! record in the safety field, we feel let down and betrayed when a Labour Government associates with them in this way. Insult, we feel, has been added to injury in thelast few weeks, in the use made by the owners and the Industrial Court of the Government's wage freeze policies, to reject our claim for a 48 hour week and for 8 hours! overtime payment at 6/0d an hour,
One sign of the strength of this feeling which has shown itself is the resolution carried by the Grimsby branch of the T&GWU trawlermen's section, to withdraw all support from the Lsbour Party, This, as you will be aware, is in a constituency represented by your government colleague, Mr, Crosland, We believe that you should reflect seriously on this whole situation, and act immediately in the spirit of our petition to, the Prime Minister, by informing the trawler owners! federation that you are unable to attend their dinner, or to present the Silver Cod,