"INFAMOUS LIE”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 16 February 1935, Page 7

"INFAMOUS LIE”

LABOUR LEADER’S OUTBURST THREAT TO PUBLISH CABINET MINUTES CENSURE MOTION IN THE COMMONS (United Proas Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copy right) (Received 16tli February, 9.50 a.m.) LONDON, 15th February. “I warn the Prime Minister that if the utterly infamous lie is repeated that I voted for or advocated the means test either now or later in the Cabinet, I will print the Cabinet minutes thereon and risk imprisonment” declared the Rt. Hon. Geo. Lansbury, in the House of Commons, when moving the Labour censure motion.

The outburst startled the House. Mr Lansbury added: “I challenge Mr MacDonald to deny that Cabinet unitedly refused the May committee’s proposal to put those on transitional payment under the poor law. Mr MacDonald can produce the Cabinet minutes or I will lend him mine. Mr MacDonald can ask his Majesty to allow me to produce my minutes.” Uproar followed, and Labour members continued to interrupt and shout throughout Mr MacDonald's speech.

UNEMPLOYMENT POLICY CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT QUOTAS AND TARIFFS UJnited Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, 14th February. In the House of Commons, the debate on the censure motion regarding the unemployment policy of the Government moved by the Rt. Hon. Geo. Lansbury, Labour Leader, was continued. Mr J. W. Cleary (Labour) the victor of the Wavertree by-election, claimed that he had been returned as an expression of the mass resentment at the Government’s policy towards the unemployed. . Sir Herbert Samuel, Liberal leader, said that the Government had muddled and mishandled unemployment relief. Though the Rt. Hon. Oliver Stanley (Labour Minister) had made a brave retreat, the country felt that the situation should notJiave arisen. The turning point in the fortunes of the Government, he said, came with the failure of the World Economic Conference. The President of the United States had maimed it, but it had been killed; by the British Government's declaration that whatever other countries did, we should maintain our quotas and tariffs. Within three years we had lost half of our foreign trade, and at the present rate of recovery it would take eleven years to reach the 1929 level. And then the Government had tried to cover its failures by a whole series of subsidies. Mr R. J. G. Bootliby (C) said that many Conservatives were definitely dissatisfied with the Government’s lack of action in the direction of the development of the Empire and Crown Colonies. Tho country wanted leadership and vision in the Government. Major H. L. Nathan (L.) said that it was not fear of . a General Election which caused the foreign selling of securities in London; it was because in a broadcast talk in Paris on Tuesday it was stated that recent speculations in commodities in London would involve Britain in a scandal equal to the Stavisky scandals. LONDON, 14th February. Replying to the.debate, the Rt. Hon. Nevelle Chamberlain (Chancellor of the Exchequer) said that despite January’s seasonal drop in employment there were still 700,000 more people employed than three years ago. No alternative policy put forward in this or any other country had produced a comparable result. The censure motion was defeated by 374 votes to 08.

DIRECT MINISTERIAL CONTROL (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, 14th February. Tlie House of Commons last night passed the third reading of the temporary bill to restore deductions in relief benefit made under the administration of the Unemployment Assistance Board. A vote of censure on the Government on the subject of unemployment will be submitted to the House of Commons by the Labour Party to-day and the Prime Minister and several other leading members of the House will participate. The “Daily Telegraph’s” political correspondent understands that legislation placing the administration of State assistance to unemployed under direct ministerial control instead of in the hands of a Board not responsible to Parliament is under consideration.