On 7 May 1957, the British daily newspaper The Manchester Guardian reports on the censure motion tabled by 12 members of the Western European Union (WEU) Assembly from France, Italy and the Benelux countries against the WEU Council for its approval of the reduction in British military forces in West Germany. This censure motion is tabled despite guarantees by British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs David Ormsby-Gore that the withdrawal of troops will not endanger Western defence.