POLITICAL CRITICS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20385, 23 October 1940, Page 7

POLITICAL CRITICS

FOREIGN AFFAIRS LORD HALIFAX’S POLICY MORE VIGOUR URGED LONDON, Oct. 18. The Foreign Secretary, Viscount Halifax,' and the Conservative Chief Whip, Captain H. D. R. Margesson, may resolve to relinquish their offices, according to political gossip, which has followed the unanimous election of the Prime Minister, Mr. Winston Churchill, as leader of the Conservative Party. ’ " . *’ There is nothing substantial to support this talk, but it reflects the state of mind among certain commentators. . A decision by Lord Halifax to leave the Foreign Office would be received with mixed feelings at Westminster. It is undeniable, however, that many members of the Conservative Party, as well as of other parties, feel that British foreign policy needs to be more positive, and more vigorously applied than it has been under Lord Halifax. Nevertheless, there are as many ’who believe that his unswerving integrity and high moral lead have been, and may continue to be, of inestimable value to the nation.

Captain Margesson has been under a hail of'criticism for a long time by those members of the House of Commons and others who regard him as a martinet, who has threatened honest Conservative back-bench critics of the Government with disciplinary action. Grumbling against Captain Margesson on the ground that he had taken himself too much power died down ■a while ago, but it has broken out again, especially since Mr. Churchill has shown readiness to make changes.