Struggle For Leadership Of British Labour Party

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27679, 8 June 1955, Page 13

Struggle For Leadership Of British Labour Party

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON, June 7. A bitter struggle for the leadership of the Labour Party began at a three-hour secret meeting of the “Shadow Cabinet” of the party last night, the “Daily Mail” reported.

The meeting was chiefly an inquest into the party’s defeat at the General Elections, with Mr Attlee being blamed for persuading the party to reverse its “Sack Bevan” order just before the election.

The Parliamentary party will meet today to elect the leaders.

The “Daily Mail” said that altogether eight of the “Shadow Cabinet,” including Mr Attlee, the Deputy Le~:'.er, Mr Herbert Morrison and the Chief Whip, Mr William Whitely, were marked men, after a statement by a former Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Hugh Dalton, that those oyer 65 years old should make way for younger men.

“Unless they resign they run the danger of being dismissed by the party in the forthcoming secret ballot for the 12 places and the top three positions,” said the newspaper. The “Daily Mail” also said that the secrecy in which the meeting was held suggested that a way was being found for Mr Attlee to retire gracefully after 20 years of leadership.