BRITISH POLITICS

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 July 1946, Page 7

BRITISH POLITICS

DECREASED SUPPORT FOR LABOUR THE BEXLEY BY-ELECTION (From E. G. WEBBER, N.Z. Press Association Correspondent.) LONDON, July 28. The only trend emerging from the three by-elections last week was at Bexley, where on the first anniversary of Labour’s general election victory, thp Labour vote was reduced by 9912, and the Conservative vote increased by 4935. Bexley only became a constituency in 1945 r and therefore has no traditions like Pontypool and Battersea, which have been' Labour strongholds for years. Moreover. Bexley is a suburban London area, which is in many ways typical of the middle vote whose swing against the Conservatives was largely responsible for putting the Government in power in 1945. One Labour leader is credited with the comment: “It was Bexley which gave us the majority last, time.”

The election of Lord Woolton to the chairmanship of the Conservative Party is an important step. The name of Lord Woolton is still one to conjure with in rationed Britain, where there is a tendency to make invidious comparisons between the administration of food during the war and at present. These are not always fair to Lord Woolton’s Labour successors, who contend with disillusionment in place of war-time unity, and must attempt to feed Britain without the aid of lend-lease. The fact remains that Lord Woolton has a name for getting things done, and his talent for organisation and generalship is likely to. influence the diminished fortunes of his party. As a member of the House of Lords, it is unlikely that Lord Woolton will achieve. Parliamentary leadership, which is still firmly in the hands of Mr. Churchill. At present, in spite of definite opposition within the party, Mr. R. A. Eden is still popularly regarded as Mr. Churchill’s probable successor. Within the Government the growing prestige of Mr. Attlee is evident. Unlike some of his predecessors, the Prime Minister, leaves the administration of their-various departments to his Ministerial colleagues and confines himself to his tasks as leader of the Government.