Discontent Among M.P.s Over Govt. Leadership

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29829, 23 May 1962, Page 13

Discontent Among M.P.s Over Govt. Leadership

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P A.) LONDON, May 22. Rumblings of discontent among Conservative backbench members of Parliament at the Government’s failure to counter its falling popularity and at the lack of leadership are reported in the political columns of many British newspapers.

Reports of recent backbench meetings say electoral set-backs and the inflationary settlement of the docks dispute, plus the apparent unconcernedness of the Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan) and the party chairman (Mr Macleod) have combined to stir back-bench unrest to the highest pitch. One opinion on the current dissatisfaction which has been featured in the press is a statement by Mr Bernard Braine, Joint Parliamentary Under Secretary for Commonwealth Relations, who said in a speech in his electorate that Conservatives would be foolish to ignore the prevailing mood of dissatisfaction in Britain, which was running deeper than

many of them realised. If the current swing from their ranks to the Liberals persisted. the result would inevitably be another Labour Government. Mr Macmillan is to address a mass meeting of Conservative women at the Albert Hall on Wednesday. Political commentators suggest that if he fails to make a fighting speech in reply to the criticism, Conservative hopes of regaining lost popularity will take an even greater plunge. Decline in Fortunes “The Times” political correspondent said the Conservative Party’s fortunes had sunk so low and morale had deteriorated so rapidly that if the present rot was not to turn into a rout, Mr Macmillan could not delay showing that he had it in him once again to lift himself and his party by his own bootstraps to heights of leadership “There seems to be some reason to think the time approaches when, as leader, he must come to a clear understanding with his rank and file and toughly assert his command." said “The Times ” The “Daily Telegraph" said it was a critical moment in the histor; of the Government The “Yorkshire Post” said there was little doubt that Conservative critics felt that troubles in the party were fundamental and could not be cured by a few rousing speeches New Chairman Wanted A Reuter report today said that frustration among Government supporters over the present situation is reflecting itself particularly in demands that the party chairmanship be given to someone who, unlike Mr Macleod, will be able to devote his wholetime activity to the job Mr Macleod, the former Colonial Secretary. now chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, is also Leader for the Government in the House of Commons—one of the most exacting posts in the administration. Some Conservatives feel that the situation calls for the return of the colourful

and bustling Viscount Hailsham, who was widely conceded to have been an unusually effective party morale-bracer during hia term of office in the chairmanship after the Suez crisis. Lord Hailsham occupied Cabinet office while party chairman, but was free front the ties associated with leadership of the House of Commons. Restlessness of Government supporters over the present "crisis of confidence” is reflecting itself in other directions, including demands for a Government reshuffle that would concentrate strong Ministers at toe top and remove “deadwood” from the administration. Government Reverses Government experts, studying Conservatives’ recent reverses in a succession of byelections. and in municipal voting, have still to make a final assessment of its causes, and of the upsurge of Liberals that has coincided with it. But one strongly-held belief is that the drop in electoral support my be due not so much to the sectional unpopularity of the Government’s current incomes restraint policy—aimed to strengthen the economy—as to failure to gain voters' understanding of the reasons and necessity for the austerity measures introduced Those close to the Prime Minister say be is not the man to let the present situation drift. But it is recognised that, while rallying speeches may help, concrete steps will be necessary to reinvigorate the party and restore its image with electors if it is to win the next General Election in 1963 or 1964. Many see the appointment of a driving and imagina-tion-capturing full-time party chairman as the mainspring of this effort. Meanwhile. Mr Macmillan has derived some encouragement from latest public opinion polls. These, reduced to essentials, suggest that the Conservatives, in spite of their present troubles, would still—on the showing of a 2.3 per cent lead over the Labour Party —win the next election.