THE COMING ELECTION

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 38, 18 February 1929, Page 5

THE COMING ELECTION

UNIVERSAL FRANCHISE. NO OP~FRECASTING. RESULT. LONDON, February 16. Britain is on the threshold of one of the most outstanding and hardest fought elections in history. .There are three -notable features— firstly, there is no outstanding issue; secondly, the impossibility of forecasting how the voting is likely to go ; thirdly, this is the first election with universal franchise*, bringing in 3,000,000 now voters and the fact that Britain is sick and tired of industrial depression and crippled taxes.

Two prominent Labour supporters forecast that Labour will have a. big increase in popularity, bub insufficient for a, majority. It is certain tho 'Government is anything but confident. Fr*w except the most optimistic .Liberals expect more than 50 Liberals in the new Parliament, though Sir Herbert Samuel thinks the Liberals may equal Labour. Liberalism has failed to regain much popularity with English electors,' and there is no present indication that the Liberals would coalesce with the Conservatives or Labour. The recent batch of by-election, was distinctly nattering to Labour. Of the 58 by-elections since the Government took office the conservatives (lintve won or retained 29, Labour '2l and Hie Liberals eight.