WIDE SPECULATION ON ELECTION

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27629, 9 April 1955, Page 7

WIDE SPECULATION ON ELECTION

(Rec. 8 p.m.) ' LONDON, April 7. Parliament shut down for the Easter holiday tonight with the Labour Opposition perplexed and worried. Members of the House of Commons dispersed to their constituencies throughout Britain completely in the dark on whether the Government intended to spring an early election.

If a .spring contest is planned, the Socialists, recently torn and divided by internal party dissensions, must carry out an immediate and intensive drive to restore the essential unity of their 6,400,000-member movement.

If any firm news of the election is broken during the 10-day Parliamentary recess the Labour leaders will probably be obliged to return to London immediately to make their plans and marshal their forces.

The nation-wide count}' council elections over the last week showed a marked swing to the Right. Control of several councils was captured by the Conservatives from their Socialist opponents.

Although local government elections are not a certain index to national political trends, the results in the 62 county contests have caused forebodings among Labour supporters on the probable outcome of a General Election.

According to the political correspondent of the “Yorkshire Post,” “the Tories hope that the Eden Prime Ministership will quickly be punctuated by a General Election which they believe would give them a comfortable victory.” This confident tone indeed seems to be reflected privately by conservativeminded people in addition to many in business circles.

The Conservatives have been encouraged—“to put it no higher” as the “Manchester Guardian”, remarks — by the results of the county council elections and the internal disputes of the Labour Party. On the other hand, if Mr Bevan himself is any guide on the subject, he recently told Commonwealth correspondents that the Labour Party’s chances at a General Election had been improved rather than damaged by internal differences of opinion, which he described as a sign of health.

It is a matter for reflection, however, that Mr Bevan can make little other comment. He could not say the differences had damaged party prestige, nor that they had no effect since either admission would be in the nature of self-criticism.

There does, however, seem to be a growing atmosphere in some circles that the tide is running strongly in the Conservatives’ favour, although in the continued absence of the national press it is increasingly impossible to gauge public reactions to current events.

In the meantime, until there is something definite about a General Election date, it is accepted that will be a sharpening of the party clash in the House of Commons, after the change of Prime Ministers. The “Yorkshire Post” says: “Scenting an early General Election, the Socialists will bend every effort to trying to shake the new Government before it has a chance to settle down —they will lose no opportunity of prodding for chinks in Sir Anthony Eden’s new suit of armour.”

It is inevitable that Sir Anthony Eden will have to stand up to comparisons with Sir Winston Churchill as Prime Minister—ap unenviable position for any man—and it is taken for granted that there will be a change inside the Conservative Party machine.

Where Sir Winston Churchill was ih sole control, it is thought more influence will now be exerted by party headquarters. In the Government, it is suggested that power will be more widely distributed. In cases when Sir Winston Churchill ruled alone it is now thought possible that power will be more evenly balanced between Sir Anthony Eden, Mr Butler, Mr Macmillan and Lord Salisbury. Time will tell.

A new political epoch or phase begins today in Britain and there is much curiosity to observe how long it may last and what its characteristics will be.