BRITISH LABOUR PARTY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21250, 2 August 1932, Page 8

BRITISH LABOUR PARTY

The Independent Labour Party in Great Britain has decided to cancel its affiliation with the Labour Party and proceed single-mindedly toward its objective, the substitution of a Socialist Commonwealth for the Capitalist State. It is nothing new for political parties of all colours to suffer splits and cleavages, and the Labour movement in various countries has shown no greater immunity from them than any other. The Independent Labour Party was bound to bo an impatient section of the larger organisation with which it was affiliated. In prosperity its members were apt to prove thorns in the side of the Parliamentary leaders; but probably the fact that a direct breach would have given place and power to those regarded as the real enemy kept the party as a whole from taking such a course. Now, when there is nothing of that kind to act as a restraint, the break has come. The parting was inevitable while the objective of "Socialism in our time" was considered all-import-ant by the Independent Labour Party; and since it reaffirms that policy while deciding on the breach, it makes its action consistent. For if the two periods of Labour in office demonstrated nothing else, they haveproved that it cannot proceed direct toward the Socialist State without alienating a large body of support which it has won for limited objectives which would have been perfectly acceptable to the left wing Radicals who found shelter in the Liberal Party before the war. In other words the electorate which gave the Labour Party its chance in office is not convinced of the benefits of Socialism, and has no real desire to see the present social organisation swept away. The Labour Party, close to realities, recognised that fact while in office and shaped its course accordingly. The Independent Labour Party rejects compromise. It has therefore decided to break with its old associates and concentrate on the complete objective. It was inevitable that, following the disruption which accompanied formation of the National Government, there should be internal readjustments in the Labour movement. This action by tho Independent Labour Party marks the occurrence of one of them.