BEVERIDGE PLAN

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 41, 18 February 1943, Page 5

BEVERIDGE PLAN

DEMAND BY LABOUR

IMMEDIATE EFFECT TO REPORT

(Rec. 9 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 17,

The Labour Party suddenly and sharply challenged the Government's attitude to the Beveridge social security plan. The party executive, after an emergency meeting, tabled an amendment expressing dissatisfaction with Sir John Anderson's declaration of official policy, demanding immediate implementation of the plan. . "Thus," says the "Daily Mail," "a situation which has always been fairly certain to come about unless the Government made a good show immediately embracing most of the Beveridge proposals has flared up, causing hurried Ministerial consultations and some political excitement,"

(Rec. 12.20 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 17. The rebellion of the Labour M.P.s against the Government's attitude to the Beveridge report is developing quickly. The Parliamentary Labour Party today, in the secrecy of a Commons committee room, held one of the biggest and most excited meetings for a long time. It is considered that the dramatic happenings of last night which plunged the Labour Party intoa dilemma mean that the Labour members as a whole have officially rejected the Government policy, which presumably was subscribed to by Labour's own Ministers, including Messrs. Attlee, Bevin, Herbert, and Morrison. It is understood that 'the bulk of those present at today's meeting supported the motion disapproving the Government's policy as announced by Sir John Anderson, but that after appeals from Messrs. Attlee and Morrison the final decision was postponed until tomorrow, when another meeting will be held.

An echo of the Labour Party storm was heard on the resumption of the debate on the Beveridge report in the House. .. .

Mr. A. J. Barnes (Labour) said that the Government's view as expressed yesterday was profoundly unsatisfactory to a good many members, and under no conditions could it be accepted as the Government's final position.

Mr. Barnes's main complaint was that Sir John Anderson's statement broke up the whole conception of the Beveridge report and meant a return to the pre-war attitude which led to a patchwork approach to social insurance. He argued that the total increased cost involved in the plan was only 4 per cent, of the present Budget and did not spring from the proposals themselves, but from the granting of children's allowances, which would come anyway, and from old-age pensions.

Mr. G. Buchanan (Independent Labour) complained that the Government was timidly approaching the plan in a cheese-paring attitude. Several speakers urged the immediate creation of a Ministry of Social Security, supporting "The Times" editorial opinion that the creation ot such a Ministry is essential to the working of the plan.