BRITISH POLITICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27043, 30 March 1949, Page 5

BRITISH POLITICS

LIBERALS CONFIDENT ELECTION PROSPECTS ALTERNATIVE TO SOCIALISM NZPA Special Correspondent LONDON, Mar. 28. Observers agree that the annual conference of the Liberal Party, which has just concluded at Hastings, lived up to the party’s new motto, “ Not Right, Not Left, but Forward.” The Liberal denunciations of both the Conservatives and the Socialists have never been more uncompromising, and any possibility of the Liberals coming to a truce arrangement with either of their opponents was scornfully dismissed. If anything, Liberal rancour was stronger against the Conservatives than against Labour, for many Liberals, particularly the radical school, bitterly resent Conservative efforts to form Liberal-Conservative associations. These they describe bluntly as “bogus and phoney.” Conservative Defeats The Hastings conference appeared to derive great satisfaction from the long series of Conservative defeats at the by-elections, and it was evident that the growing body of Liberal opinion is receiving encouragement from the belief that the present recession in Conservative fortunes is no temporary phase, but the beginning for the Tories of a long term in the political wilderness. If this hope proves to be well founded many Liberals see their party replacing the Tories as the country’s chief alternative to Socialism. Many speakers at the conference used the argument that the Conservatives lack any real conviction when they support social advances, and that the Liberal Party can supply this conviction and at the same time act as an effective counter to Socialist State control. Once- again the Liberals pledged themselves to support initiative, enterprise and ambition so long as these qualities are used to advance the living conditions of the whole country and are not allowed to degenerate into exploitation. The Hastings conference received with enthusiasm and every appearance of conviction the assurances of the party leaders that they could, if necessary, put 600 candidates in the field at the general election. Unanimity Disclosed Some of the newspaper comment on the conference, however, discloses doubts on this point. The Glasgow Herald, while regretting the present “ emaciation ” of the Liberal Party, remarks that some kindly dispensation of Providence seems to prevent this emaciation from being apparent to the Liberals themselves. The papier agrees that the Hastings conference showed a greater degree of unanimity among the Liberals than had been evident for a very long time, but expresses the opinion that the Liberals as an effective force can no longer be reckoned a political power. Their 3,000,000 votes in 1945, says the Herald, could, if properly applied, have turned the tide against Labour, and their vote at the next election may possibly have the same disruptive result.