BRITISH ELECTION

Southland Times, Issue 22731, 6 November 1935, Page 7

BRITISH ELECTION

NOMINATIONS CLOSE 1315 CANDIDATES IN THE FIELD 38 NOT OPPOSED (British Official Wireless.) . Rugby, November 4. To-day was nomination day for the general election. About 1315 candidates were nominated for 615 seats, of which total 582 are supporters of the National Government, including 512 Conservatives, 44 National Liberals, 20 National Labour and six others. The Labour candidates total 552 and the Liberals 154. Unopposed returns, numbering 38, include the Prime Minister and the President of the Board of Trade. As a result of unopposed returns the state of the parties in the new House of Commons to date is: Conservative 22 Liberal Nationals 3 Labour 13

Those elected unopposed also include Sir Alan Anderson. Other Conservatives have safe seats and thirteen Labour candidates, representing mainly Welsh constituencies, held large majorities, some being unopposed, in 1931. Sir Ronald Ross, Conservative for Londonderry, was unexpectedly returned unopposed owing to a breakdown of a motor-car causing his intended Republican opponent to arrive breathless when nominations had just closed. Major C. R. Attlee and Mr Lloyd George have Conservative opponents. Sir Herbert Samuel is opposed by a Conservative and a Labourite, a woman, and Mr Churchill by a Liberal and a Labourite. The women candidates total 65. Two women are involved in a straight fight at Wallsend, Miss Irene Ward (Conservative) and Miss Margaret Bondfield, formerly Minister of Labour in the Labour Government. Mr Arthur Greenwood, broadcasting, denied a split in the Labour ranks and said that on the contrary members of the Government party were disrupted. Mr Baldwin and Mr Eden were talking peace, while Mr Churchill, National swashbuckler number one, aimed at an Empire armed to the teeth. Mr Ameryled a group eager to retire to a coward’s castle. Mr Malcolm MacDonald was howled down at Worksop and denied a hearing, although he faced for an hour a crowd shouting “Traitor” and singing the “Red Flag.”