THE LAST ELECTION

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 97, 21 October 1924, Page 7

THE LAST ELECTION

NINE MONTHS OF LABOUR

GOVERNMENT.

The last- General Election in England was held on 6th December, 1923, and the final figures showed a severe Unionist reverse, 259 members of the party being returned as against 346 at the dissolution. The strength of. Labour, then the official opposition, was increased from 144 to 191, while the Liberals, fighting once more as a united party, increased their holding from 117 to 15A. Ten members of other parties were returned, as. against the eight who sat at the time of the dissolution. The Unionist Party, at that time under the guidance of M. Stanley Baldwin, in addition to_ its losses among the rank and file, failed to retain ihe services of two" members of the Cabinet—Sir Montague Barlow, Minister of Labour, and Sir Robert Sanders, Minister of Agriculture. Among the Liberals there were also serious losses. Mr. Winston' Churchill, Sir Donald Mac Lean, Mr. Walter Run'ciman, Sir Alfred Mond, and Sir Hamar Greenwool, all failed to attain success at the polls." Mr. Arthur Henderson, the Chief Whip of the Labour Party, was also defeated, but was later returned at a by-election. The Labour Party, however, received some notable recruits, especially among women, Miss Margaret Bondfield, and Miss Susan Lawrence being returned.' The General Election ended ia a stalemate, the Unionists being in a minority of 97, as compared with all other parties put together. Mr. Stanley Baldwin asked the King to relieve him of the1 Premise-ship, and though also in a minority, labour was called on to take over, Mr. Mac Donald accepting the request of His Majesty to do so on 24th January of this year. Rarely have political events in England moved with such Tapidity as during the present. year. The advent of Labour at the reins of Government has altered the whole complexion of English and European policy. Mr. Mac Donald has tackled many problems during his period of office. 'He has" overcome strained relations with France, has done much towards the adoption of the Dawes plan of reparations, has attempted to arrange a treaty with Russia, and has had a great deal to do with the flotation '-of the German loan. In addition to these gigantic problems all- dealt with in .the nine months, his party has had to face unemployment, shortage of housing, cost of living, and other local problems, of which little has been, heard in New Zealand. '