Churchill presses the government on the escalator clause

Did the government's earlier position on using the London Naval Treaty's escalator clause for British cruisers still stand?

The prime minister said the earlier statement was not final and mainly referred to destroyer leaders newly classified as cruisers, while Britain sought more destroyer tonnage through negotiation.

Churchill asked whether the government's prior position on the escalator clause remained valid. The prime minister said the earlier defence speech had not been intended as an exhaustive or final statement of Britain's treaty position. He narrowed the disputed reference to vessels that France called destroyer leaders but Britain had begun classifying as cruisers. The government claimed a clear case for increasing its allotted destroyer tonnage and was already negotiating with the other powers. It had not, however, declared a general right to expand British cruiser tonnage.