FINANCING PASTY POLITICS

Evening Star, Issue 18851, 28 January 1925, Page 5

FINANCING PASTY POLITICS

HUGE INCOME NEEDED. MB ASQUITH’S SEAT. MR LLOYD GEORGE’S POSITION. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, LONDON, January 27. The enormous cost of party politics in Great Britain was shown by a report of Sir Donald Maclean’s Committee on Liberal Reorganisation, in which it was estimated that the annual income necessary for efficient associations in 500 constituencies, including a General Election every three years, would be £390,000. A largo central fund was also required for the purpose of national propaganda and the supervision of local work. It was recommended that one-third of the officers of the executive committees in a constitunecy association should be under the age of thirty-five years, and expenses should be allowed to enable workers to attend meetings from a distance. The political correspondent of the ‘ Daily Express ’ affirms that the appointment of Sir Donald Maclean’s Committee was originally a device on the part of the Asquithiams to checkmate Mr Lloyd George’s leadership. It was hoped to find a seat for Mr Asquith while the report was being prepared, thus averting the necessity for the appointment of a deputy leader. A safe seat could not be found; thereupon it was concluded that Mr Asquith’s leadership could be, retained by his having a scat in the House of Lords instead of in the House of Commons. The writer emphasises that Mr Asquith had no part in these plottings, and concludes: “Should these intrigues not he stamped out at the forthcoming Liberal convention wo may see an astounding political development. Mr Lloyd George will now have to decide whether he will continue to submit to the indignities to which lie has been consistently subjected, or whether he cannot render greater service to his party by leaving it than by leading it.”-—A, and N.Z. Cable.