FORMAL ACTION

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 202, 24 May 1945, Page 7

FORMAL ACTION

Mr. Churchill Moves For Election

m Mav o'? 11 25 n.m.) LONDON, May 23. e< At Buckingham Palace today Mr. Winston Churchill tendered to the King his resignation as Prime Minister. An announcement on the forthcoming dissolution of Parhament is expected shortly. There is still no statement as to the plans for the coming general election, but diplomatic correspondents say that July 5 is almost certain to be election day. , Yesterday Mr. Churchill, replying to the Labour Party s rejection of the proposal for a continuance of the Coalition Government till the end of the war against Japan, again declared his opposition to an autumn election.

The Parliamentary correspondent ot “The Times” yesterday stated that the Labour leaders were waiting for a decisive move from Mr, Churchill, and when this was made they would withdraw from the Coalition, and Mr. Churchill would call for the resignations of all the other members of his Government in order to form a new Within the next few days Mr. Churchill would have to consider candidates lor the interim Government. He would have IO senior posts to fill and 20 junior officers. It was possible that some of the latter would remain unfilled. The present state of the parties in Parliament is: Conservative, 359; Labour, 164; Liberal. 19; Liberal National, 24; National Labour, 5; Independents. 19; Nationals. 6: International Party, 3 ; Common Wealth, 3; Communist, 1; Scottish Nationalist, 1.

NEED FOR A .UNITED GOVERNMENT

Statement By Premier

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 22.

Mr. Churchill has addressed the following letter to the Parliamentary leader of the Labour Parly, Mr. Attlee:—“My dear Attlee, —1 am sorry to receive your letter of May 21, in which you reject ruy proposal that we should work together till the defeat of Japan is achieved. “In this‘letter you tell me that our only course is to prolong the present coalition till a general election in October. This would mean that from now till October, outside the Government and even within it, we should be continually preparing for an election. We have already suffered several months of this electioneering atmosphere which I am sure is already affecting administrative efficiency and might soon weaken the country and the world at a time when, above all others, it should be stronger. “I agree that it is on the problems of the economic life of the country that the party differences are most acute. What is required, you say, is decisive action. This can only be forthcoming from a Government united on principle and policy. I agree also with your statement: ‘My colleagues and I do not believe it would be possible to lay aside political controversy now that the expectation of election has engaged the attention of the country.’

“For my part I am sure that a continuance, of th c uncertainty and agitation would be harmful to the whole process of recovery of our trade and the change-over in industry. It is not good for any country—it is impossible for any coalition —to live for so long a time under the spell of an approaching general election. I.east of all is this possible in a world where events arc so tumultuous and dangerous as now. “Unjust Allegations.”

“Opinions are much divided as to how the party advantage may lie between a June and an October election, and I regret the aspersions with which you have darkened this correspondence. I have concerned myself solely with trying to create tolerable conditions under which we could work together. It is clear from the tone of your letter, and the feelings of your party, that these no longer exist, and it is odd that you should accompany so many unjust allegations with an earnest request that we should go on bickering together till the autumn. Such a process would not be a decent way of carrying on a British Government. “I regret that you should speak of ‘rushing’ an election. Foreseeing what might arise at the close, of the German war, wo discussed, as you will remember, the whole question of procedure in detail in War Cabinet. The normal period between a dissolution and a poll is 17 days, and it was you and your colleagues who proposed that there should be at least a three weeks' additional interval in view of the special circumstances prevailing. “We gladly accepted this reasonable request, and the unanimous decision of the War Cabinet was made known by you on January 17, when you announced in the House of Commons that the King had been graciously willing, for this occasion, to announce his intention to dissolve Parliament at-least three weeks beforehand.”

LABOUR COMPLAINT Opponents’ Knowledge

(Received May 23, 7 p.m.) LONDON. May 22. “In spite of all Mr. Churchill's appeals to the Labour Ministers and his protestations that he desires the present Government to continue, it is becoming more evident that the Tory organization was last week warned of the date of the eleelion.” says the Labour "Daily Heralds political roundsman. "Labour agents who in the last few days tried to book halls for July -1, which they expected would be the eve of the poll, found llm I their Tory rivals had done so last weekend. The “Daily Herald." in an editorial, says that Mr. Churchill had stated that he was moved most of all by the need for giving service men and women a fair chaiice of participating in deciding the future of their country. An autumn election would give the service personnel that fair chance, whereas a July contest would not and would also deprive, a number ot civilian electors of their vote because Hie election register is incomplete.”

NORTHERN IRELAND POLL

LONDON. May 22. The Prime Minister. Sir Basil Brooke, announced that the Parliament oi Northern Ireland will be dissolved on May 2-j and that the general election will take place on June 11

MANOEUVRES BY BOTH SIDES Premier’s Shrewd Stroke (By Telegraph —Press Assn.—Copyrigut.)

(Special Correspondent.) LONDON, May 22. It .now seems certain that a general election will be held in Britain early in July and that the co* ry. is in for a short, sharp period in lively political party exchanges, possibly followed by another Coalition Government, It was expected that, the Labour Party’s Whitsun conference would give a pointer to the date of the approximate break-up of the present coalition, and of the general election at a time which would suit the Labour Party. But Mr. Churchill, with what is acknowledged as a shrewd political stroke, upset the Labour Party’s apple-cart by deciding on a poll in July or a continuation of the coalition to the end of the Japanese Wi| JBy doing this he has aroused ..the ire of the Labour Party. , Labour and the Conservatives will oe the main opponents, for the Liberal Party will have something like 200 to 300 fewer candidates than the Conservatives and Labour. Mr. Churchill is accused of allowing himself to be exploited and of suggesting Hitler's practices in the field of referenda and plebiscites, while Labour is being charged with precipitating the present crisis. These are, of course, electioneering points made in a desire to get in early blows. But the question of when the election should be held is obviously ii very difficult thin,? to decide, and it is known that Mr. Churchill has been studying it for some time. Ten-year Parliament. Britain’s present Parliament, is 10 years old and the Coalition Government is live years old. For over a year it has been reiterated that it was time that au election ■ was held to renew and reinvigorate Parliament, and all parties have agreed that it should be fought on a party basis, Labour and the Liberals being most vociferously! in favour of breaking up the coalition. One result has been much indecision by the Government in the matter of taking a firm line regarding domestic policy. • J Now, with the war against Germany ended. Europe is anything but peaceful, and Mr. Anthony Eden has underlined the gravity of the international situation. A meeting of the Big Three is urgently desirable, ajid in addition to the war against Japan there is the peace conference to be attended soouer - or later. , With all the gravity ot the immediate post-war position before him, and also with the necessity of holding a general election, Sir. Churchill’s. position as leader of the country is in no way enviable. It could be no comfort to him, in directing either his domestic or international policies Q) know that this uneasy shadow is hovering over every decision he makes. If the general election were postponed till the end of the Japanese war it would clear lijs mind of many additional worries. Failing that, he prefers a quick decision and this is quite understandable. Labour Attitude. The Labour Party is against this prolongation of the coalition, appreciating that indecision on domestic matters is bad for the country and fearing that by the end of the Japanese war the "Tory’ influence, with which it associates big business, will have re-entrenched itself strongly. Quite humanly. Labour desired to leave the coalition in its own good time. It is felt that probably one of the strongest arguments against Mr. Churchill's decision for a July election is that the present register of electors is defective, and that it. would be newer and more efficient by the autumn. Against this is the desirability" of Britain being led in the grave days ahead by a Government that lias not got to face a general election in a few months’ time. Mr. Churchill is in the position ot having to make a very difficult decision. If he has allowed party motives to influence that decision to a certain extent, lie is doing no more than the leaders of the other parties would do if they were in his position. How the election will go it is no more easy to say than it is to guess who will win New Zealand's next election. But there is a wide feeling that Labour wnl make gains, perhaps considerable gains. There is some support for the view expressed by "The Times” that while the immediate post-war emergency lasts it is possible that the outcome of the election will he anol her coalition.

So far 1357 candidates have been chosen and endorsed, and 31)0 more are to be selected. At the moment the Conservatives have put forward 528 candidates. Labour -108. and the Liberals 199. Independents 60, the Liberal-Nationals 35. Common Wealth 28, the Communists 22, and the I.L.P. 17.