CONSERVATIVE CALL TO “BATTLE PRACTICE” FOR NEXT ELECTION

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 October 1948, Page 5

CONSERVATIVE CALL TO “BATTLE PRACTICE” FOR NEXT ELECTION

(Rec. 9 a.m.) LONDON, October 7. The Conservative Party conference at Llandudno and the reactions of the Labour newspapers appear to be proceeding according to anticipations.

Lord Woolton has called for the party to be more active in local government, and has asked that the municipal, elections to be held next spring should be regarded as a “battle exercise for the big contest which will determine the fate of Britain for a generation to come.” And already the Labour organ the Daily Herald, has begun to say that the Conservatives have no policy. A Daily Herald reporter, recording that Lord Woolton posed the query of how the elections next spring were to be won, said he gave no indication of what the Conservatives’ policy would be. “It would see.m,” he commented, “that the Conservative Party has neither an inspiring policy for local government nor an effective national policy in Parliament.”

Principles Summarised Other reporters apparently heard Lord Woolton give a summary of the broad principles of policy for the-elections ’in the spring. They were- Belief in democratic local government, not in making local councillors the creatuies of a central government, rates collected should be no more than necessary for efficient administration, housing demanded

the mobilisation of the whole of the building forces in the country. A further indication that the Conservatives are seized with the desire to produce a policy was indicated by Mi' R. A. Butler, when he remarked: “Gone are the days when a policy was brought down to us from Mount Sinai on tablets of stone, often blinding us with the light.” An interesting decision at the conference was that from now on money subscriptions to the party funds were not to be a qualification for Parliamentary candidateship. “We intend,” said’ Mr Henry Brooke, a member of the committee on party organisation, “to ask candidates not for their money, but for their ability, vitality and their time. We want to make it possible for every man and woman with the right capacity to become a first-class M.P., regardless of wealth.” Albert Hall Conference

With an eye on the general election, the party decided that the conference next year shall be held at the Albert Hall, London, to accommodate all members wanting to attend. It was not possible for everyone to be in the same hall at Brighton last year, while this year, two halls are filled a mile apart. They are link-

i ed by loud-speakers. It .was originally the intention to go to Scarbor- : ough next year—where the Socialists met last Whitsun—but it was agreed '; that the accommodation there was (also insufficient. 11 Mr Churchill’s speech on Saturday I is anticipated with interest, since it s is assumed that he will deal both :. with the international situation and ! the party’s policy.