ELECTIONS IN BRITAIN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18235, 2 November 1933, Page 11

ELECTIONS IN BRITAIN

MUNICIPAL COUNCILS MANY LABOR GAINS (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Received November 2, 3 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 1. Municipal elections are being .held in over 300 cities and boroughs in England and Wales to-day to replace one-third of the councils. The first 100 results show that Labor has 172 gains and five losses; the Conservatives six gains and 106 losses; Liberals five gains and 31 losses; and Independents 10 gains and 51 losses, hut Labor thus far has only secured control of Barnsley, Wallsend, Swansea, and Oldham. It made considerable gains of seats at Burnley, Derby, Bolton, Sunderland, Salford, and Bootle. Thoso defeated in Manchester include Lady Simon and Lord Stanley of Alderley, Liberals. ON PARTY LINES LABOR’S ECONOMY POLICY LONDON, Oct. 21. The major issue in many centres, particularly iu large industrial cities and towns and outer London, is slum clearance and housing. This problem is the basis of the battle-cry of all Socialist candidates, who also are advocating economy, but that special brand of economy which can be. expected to produce higher rates. Wherever there is a Labor majority, rates are highest, to as much as ICO per cent. Ejections will lake place in 546 boroughs, including. 83 county boroughs, with a total population of 18,700,000. At present, the Socialists control only eight of the ..county boroughs and nine of the 263 municipal boroughs, though there are strong minorities in a number of councils, which could be transformed into majorities by a relatively small swing of the pendulum. There is no evidence up to the present that the electors will change their allegiance to any great extent.