THE POLITICAL FUTURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18578, 10 December 1923, Page 8

THE POLITICAL FUTURE.

The British elections have left a political situation of unusual complexity. While Mr. Baldwin's majority has been destroyed, no one of the three parties is strong enough to take undisputed possession of the Treasury "Benches. The future course of political events is therefore an absorbing and intensely important subject of speculation. The Government of the country must be carried on by somebody; the question is, who shall it be ? Alternative suggestions have already been made. One is that Labour and Liberalls should combine, the assumption being that their views on foreign politics are possible of reconciliation. This possibility has already been scouted by the official organ of the Labour Party. It is declared that Labour has everything to gain and nothing to lose by simply waiting, and 'leaving the older parties to struggle with the situation. A Con-servative-Liberal coalition is also suggested, but its achievement is beset with difficulties. Both parties have memories— memories—of a recent coalition, and neither seems likely to welcome the idea of repeating the experiment. The immediate probabilities point, therefore,, to one party being invited to carry on, the other two acquiescing on condition that contentious legislation is left alone. The first claim is with the Conservatives, the strongest party, numerically, of the three. It went to the country asking for the endorsement of a protection policy. This endorsement was refused, and protection must therefore be abandoned. It is suggested that the party might carry on under a Free Trade leader, Lord Derby being named as a possibility Even if such an arrangement were made, if any of the parties accepted office under these conditions it would be an unstable Government, facing a precarious future. The constitutional position will have to be closely examined, and ftie possibilities carefully. assessed before Parliament meets.