▁a ▁dam ned ▁day ' s ▁work ▁in ▁his ▁life ". ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁he ▁launched ▁a ▁debate ▁on ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁volunt ary ▁defence ▁services . ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁on ▁a ▁deleg ation ▁to ▁visit ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁ ▁S uez ▁Prior - Pal mer ▁supported ▁abol ition ▁of ▁capital ▁pun ishment ▁in ▁an ▁un wh ipped ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁vote ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁one ▁of ▁only ▁ 4 8 ▁Conserv ative ▁MP s ▁to ▁do ▁so . ▁He ▁back ed ▁the ▁E den ▁government ▁on ▁S uez , ▁arg uing ▁that ▁it ▁took ▁British ▁and ▁French ▁inter vention ▁to ▁get ▁a ▁United ▁Nations ▁force ▁to ▁come ▁in . ▁Having ▁served ▁as ▁Chair ▁of ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Back ben ch ers ' ▁Army ▁sub - comm ittee ▁for ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁he ▁was ▁made ▁Vice - Ch air man ▁of ▁the ▁Def ence ▁Committee ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 8 . ▁ ▁E lder ▁states man ▁Knight ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁Prior - Pal mer ▁was ▁regarded ▁as ▁an ▁' el der ▁states man ' ▁but ▁could ▁still ▁be ▁anger ed ▁by ▁pac if ist ▁sentiment . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁he ▁claimed ▁that ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party ▁had ▁" sent ▁one ▁of ▁their ▁chief ▁leaders ▁to ▁S way th ling ▁to ▁stop ▁men ▁making ▁Sp it f ires ". ▁Despite ▁up