POLITICS IN BRITAIN.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17607, 9 November 1922, Page 9

POLITICS IN BRITAIN.

FUTURE OF THE LIBERALS. STATEMENT BY ME ASQUITH. (By (Vile—Press Association—Copyright.) (Atttlraliia tnd N.Z>. Cable Association.) LONDON, November 7. Mr Asqnith, speaking at Dulwich, contradicted the statement that at a meeting of Liberal leaders he proposed ] a Liberal reunion which his colleagues f injected, and that consequently he j abandoned the proposal. There was not j a word of truth in the fable that all tho Liberals were anxious for reunion. An even more fatuous fabrication was the story that, in the event of .the present j Government not obtaining a Parlia- ( mentary majority, there would be some } nebulous combination between Mr Botwr Law's forces and his own. The ( suggestion of such an alli.moo was too fantastic for a midsummer niglit's dream. j Mr Asquith added that if they gave tho Government a blank cheque there | would be no guarantee thit the Govern- , ment would not be landed in Protection. , Lord Novar (Secretary of State for 1 Scotland), sneaking at Edinburgh, said that he had no apology to make for taking office. It was necessary. The old Liberal Party to which ho had belonged was split up and had disappeared. He did not feel able to support either section. For the sake of foreign policy alone, it was of tho utmost importance that the Prime Minister should have a strong majority to enable him to speak in the name of the country and to follow a. consistent policy. Tho Labour Party's manifesto had been drawn up by extremists. THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY. ( ( ME BONAB LAW ON TARIFF ] REFORM. 1 (Beutor's Telegrams.) f Received November Bth, 8.50 p.m.) LONDON, November 7. Speaking in South London, Mr Bonnr Law disavowed Conservative hostility to trade unions. He condemned' legislation which would unwisely tend to restrict the entry of Labour members to Parliament. In pursuance of his policy of tranquility, he would not dream - of legislation at present for revision of the Second Chamber, at least in the first couple of sessions. He contended that political agreement was necessary for this. He ridiculed the idea of repealing the Parliament Act. Mir Law concluded with a reference to tariff reform, expressing the Belief that a fundamental change in the fiscal system would at present be bad, because conditions had absolutely changed, notably in regard to the exchanges, since the controversy arose. CAPITAL LEVY. MB LLOYD GEORGE'S VIEW. (By Cfcbl#—Prew Association—Copyright.) (Beuter's Tel«gT«ms.) (Received November Bth, 8.<50 p.m.) LONDON, November 7. Mr Lloyd George, in a speech at Stookttm, declared that Labour's proposed capital levy would be a course which, to the who!© community, would make life not worth living. Trade had reached bottom and would gradually improve. The well had been depleted' and had to be refilled. Labour wanted to smash the reservoir. OPENING OP PARLIAMENT. (Received November Bth, 10.20 p.m.) LONDON, November 7. The opening of Parliament has been postponed until November 28rd.