Page 250 - Begrave Thesis_Neat

tolerated’. He stressed the need to make illegal the ‘wearing of unauthorised

uniforms’ and activities carried by the organisation. 713 Riches later informed the

Political Agent Gault that legal advisers were consulted on the issue of the Scouts

movement and had pointed out that the Public Order Act of 1936 prohibited the use

of uniforms for political motives. It further outlawed the formation of quasi-military

organisations and for groups to obtain for themselves the power to run their own

police force. Riches advised Gault to bring the law to the Ruler’s attention and,

accordingly, to draft an order. 714

In late June Al-Watan celebrated Nasser’s election as Egypt’s second

republican President and the approval of the new Egyptian constitution. 715 Nasser

was the only candidate who ran for election and people were required to either

approve, or disapprove, of his nomination. The new President of Egypt won the

elections according to The Times with a ninety-eight per cent vote, 716 which set a

precedent for republican regimes throughout the Arab World.

With the conclusion of this time period in this thesis, three features are

emerging. First, the British Government seemed to be indecisive early on the

Belgrave question as it tried to seek the best method to navigate safely through the

crisis until an approach was devised for the Adviser’s eventual exit. Second was

Britain’s understanding that the NUC was not an anti-British movement, although

Egyptian influence could not be overlooked. Third was Burrows’ deft political

713 TNA, FO 1016/467, SOSFA to Residency, 20 June 1956.
714 TNA, FO 1016/467, Riches to Political Agency, 21 June 1956.
715 ‘Distoor Masir Al-Jadid Yuhaqiq Iradat Al-Sha’ab wa Yahmi Huquqah’ [Egypt’s New Constitution
Achieves the Will of the People and Protects their Rights], Al-Watan, 29 June 1956, 1.
716 ‘Col. Nasser as President’, The Times, 25 June 1956, 8.

© Hamad E. Abdulla 229