Local Elections Begin In U.K.

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31341, 11 April 1967, Page 17

Local Elections Begin In U.K.

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, April 10. Britons started voting today for local elections in 58 counties of England and Wales in the biggest poll other than a General Election.

The Conservative Partyafter their humiliation in the 1956 General Election—are pinning their hopes on reaction against the Labour Party to swing votes away from that party in local councils. The Conservatives see the capture of London as the pos-

sible crowning achievement of their fight back to political strength. The Labour Party has held London for 33 years. They have generations of experience in running Europe’s biggest city. But today a swing of only four or five per cent against Labour in five boroughs can put the Conservatives in control of the Greater London County Council. Recent Parliamentary byelections have shown swings greater than this against the party in power. For Mr Edward Heath, whose task is to lead the Conservatives back from their defeat of 1964 and the much greater defeat last October, a swing against Labour—if reinforced by a morale-boosting win in London—will strengthen and encourage the party in the House of Commons. London’s millions go to the polls on Thursday to elect 100 councillors in 32 boroughs.

The results of 26 of those will be known early on Friday and are almost certain to indicate which party will be in power. The Conservatives, someas a majority party, sometimes aided by sympathetic Independents, hold most of the county councils in the country.