SWING TO RIGHT IN U.K. POLL

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31345, 15 April 1967, Page 13

SWING TO RIGHT IN U.K. POLL

Change In London After 33 Years

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON, April 14.

Britain has swung firmly to the Right in nationwide municipal elections, giving Mr Harold Wilson s Labour Administration a major jolt just a year after its big General Election victory.

Mr Edward Heath’s Conservative opposition party ended 33 years of Labour rule in London early today with a landslide win, which also brought it control of important counties such as Lancashire, Cheshire, Leicestershire and Warwickshire.

It marked the first significant sign of electoral revival for the Conservatives since they were beaten by Labour in the 1964 General Election after being in power at Westminster for 13 years. The Conservatives won a

major boost to their morale by their victory in the Greater London Council, held for the last three years by Labour with a 28 majority and ruled by that party since 1934. By the time all overnight

results were in the Conservatives were already 59-18 and were forecast to win all the remainder of the 100 seats on the world’s biggest municipal authority. This was a far bigger Conservative victory than expected, even by the Opposition leaders themselves, and represented a swing to the Right of more than 12 per cent since the 1964 Greater 1 London Council contest

‘A Sad Night’ Jubilant Conservatives hailed it as “a nail in Wilson’s coffin,” and Labour’s Foreign Secretary, Mr George Brown, gloomily admitted it

was “a sad night” for the Government.

The outcome of yesterday’s elections in Greater London was the highlight of a weeklong round of municipal elections, involving London and 58 counties in England and Wales, which continue today and tomorrow.

It came hard on the heels of a series of Parliamentary by-elections and opinion polls showing many electors disillusioned with the Labour Administration. Economic Measures Observers believe this is largely caused by the impact of Mr Wilson’s economic austerity measures imposed during last July’s sterling crisis. These were not eased in the Government’s annual budget this week and disappointment at Labour’s failure so far to live up to its promises of sweeping social reform is thought to have caused many Labour voters to abstain. But Labour’s national term of office still has four years to run and Mr Wilson’s policies are aimed at providing better economic results by then.

These may be tested in the next local elections in the spring of 1970.

Talks Postponed.— Britain has postponed talks with Spain on Gibraltar, due in London next week, the Commonwealth Secretary, Mr Herbert Bowden, told the House of Commons yesterday. —London, April 14.