LABOUR PARTY’S OBJECTIONS To MESSAGE TO ITALY

Grey River Argus, 20 April 1948, Page 5

LABOUR PARTY’S OBJECTIONS To MESSAGE TO ITALY

Former N.Z. Man As Instigator

MR PLATT-MILLS WITH LEFTISTS

(Rec. 9.0). LONDON, April 19. British Cabinet Ministers, and most of their supporters, were incensed during the week-end by the action of thirty-seven Labour Members of the House of Commons, allegedly headed by Mr J. F. Flatts-Mills (formerly of New Zealand) and Mr Zilliacus in sending a telegram of good wishes to Signor Nenni, the head of the Italian Socialists, who have allied themselves with the Communists, says the Times Parliamentary correspondent. The New Zealander. Mr J. F. F Platts-Mills, M.P., was one of the 37 Labour members of the House of Commons who sent a good-will telegram to Signor Nenni, leader of the Left Wing Italian Socialists. Mahy of the Labour Members of the House of Commons, whose names have been given as signatories to the telegram, now dissociate themselves from the action. But this will not avert a major clash in the ranks of the British Labour Party, says the Daily Telegraph’s political correspondent. The sending of the telegram was in defiance of the official Party line, which fact cannot have been unknown to the instigators of the move. TOO DANGEROUS

The Daily Herald (Labour), in a leading article, said: "There has been a natural disinclination to treat too seriously the freakish activities of misfits like Mr Platts-Mills, but this telegram episode is too dangerous to be ignored, and the Labour Movement will expect all necessary steps to be taken to prevent a repetition”.

The Daily Telegraph’s Rome correspondent revealed that Signor Nenni has used the British Commoners’ telegram in his newspaper, the Avanti.

It was published with a list of signatories, who were described as "Some of the most famous representatives of British Socialism”.

Earlier, Mr Platts-Mills had declared that the British Labour Party after the war officially recognised Signor Nenni’s party, and “it is still so recognised as the official Italian Socialist Partv”.