POLITICAL SURPRISE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18341, 6 March 1923, Page 7

POLITICAL SURPRISE

FIRST GOVERNMENT DEFEAT WILLESDEN BY-ELECTION LOST MINISTER REJECTED. By Tel«2ra.ph— AssociationCopyright(Received 4.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON, March 4. The East Willesden by-election, to replace Sir H. Mallaby-Deeley (Conservative), who resigned, resulted : — Mr. H. Johnston© (Liberal) . . 14,842 Mr. G. F. Stanley (Conservative) 9,648 This is a Liberal gain. The widest interest centred in this and the Mitcham by-election, the result of which will be declared to-morrowf In both < constituencies the members returned at the general election resigned to provide seats for Ministers. Mr. G. F. Stanley is UnderSecretary for Home Affairs and was defeated at the general election at Preston, Sir A. Griffith Boscawen, Minister for Health, who is contesting Mitcham, is opposed by three candidates, an Independent Conservative, an Independent Liberal, and a Labour candidate. In connection with the Willesden byelection, Mr. Stanley made a strong appeal on the housing question, and guaranteed a square deal to ex-service men. The defeat of tho Conservative candidate and the huge turnover of votes was totally unexpected. At the general election Sir H. Mallaby-Deeley, the Conservative candidate, beat Mr. H. Johnstone, the Liberal, and now successful candidate, bj 12,525 to 11,211 votes. London newspapers attribute the result to insecurity among middle-class and working-class supporters of the Government regarding . housing. The Westminster Gazette regards it as a crushing answer to the Government's wobble on the housing question. The Daily Chronicle declares that it is the first result of Liberal unity. Mr. Lloyd George says that he is delighted and astonished at Mr. Johnstone's victory.

LIBERAL PARTY REUNION. I LLOYD GEORGE'S OVERTURES. CHILLING RECEPTION. A. and N.Z. LONDON. March 4. Mr. H. H. Asquith refused somewhat acidly to comment on Mr. Lloyd George's suggestion for Liberal reunion. He even declined to listen to the main points. Sir John Simon, Independent Liberal M.P. for Spen Valley, in an important and vigorous speech at Cleckheaton, replied to Mr. Lloyd George's speech on Liberal re-union. He said that Mr. Lloyd George omitted to mention that the only qualification for political life that commanded public confidence was the quality of speaking what one really believed, not changing one's political destinationwith every wind that blew. Unity by some dramatic gesture, secret conclave or historic handshake was too romantic and pictorial. It would not do Liberalism any good to double its membership at the expense of halving its energy, .mat the Liberal army wanted was not so much political strategy in manoeuvres, but more men to line the trenches and go over the top.