The Announcement in the House

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 256, 7 October 1931, Page 5

The Announcement in the House

LITTLE EXCITEMENT SHOWN Short Sharp Election Campaign (Reed. 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, Tuesday. With the certainty of an impending election the House of Commons was less than half filled during the lifeless questions time, in which Mr. MacDonald, yielding to Mr. Alexander's entreaty, told the member that the King had granted his request for a dissolution. The announcement was received with surprising tameness. There v/ere no cheers from the Labour benches; members instead trooped to the lobbies and arranged to scamper to their constitutencies for a short, sharp light. By contrast there were the wildest scenes when the announcement was made at the Labour Conference at Scarborough. After Mr. Henderson had revealed the date of polling, Mr. George Lansbury jumped ou to the platform and began singing • "The Red Flag," in which the delegates and onlookers joined and which was repeated again and again. The chairman announced that the conference will not disperse before Mr. Henderson, "the future Prime Minister," had enunciated his campaign programme. Can MacDonald Win? It was Mr. J. H. Thomas who first revealed that Mr. MacDonald had decided to fight Seaham, at which some of his admirers are nervous and think he should have chosen a safe seat. It is pointed out, however, that Mr. MacDonald was considerably heartened by his reception on October 2. Optimists suggest that his personal popularity, plus the cause he is expousing, will carry Mr. MacDonald through, hut "at the same time it is recognised he cannot personally devote much time to the constituency, because not only is lie determined to keep in, close touch with fuumciai circles h* London but he intends to go to Mr. Thomas's. and also to his son Malcolm's electorates to help them in their stiff tights.

Mr. MacDonald will set the ball rolling to-morrow night by broadcastins his manifesto lyy wireless. He was busy on thi.a at five o'clock this morning'. It has, Utieu jji/afted on the broadest lines. Thq manifesto is not expected to couiain a definite tariff pledge, but an apepal to the electorate for an open mandate to solve the country's crisis as day to day developments necessitate. The fact that there is no agreed formula has led to speculation as to how Conservative and Liberal clashes will be avoided to prevent a repetition of Labour's many minority successes in 1929, hut it is understood that local organisations will be urged to arbitrate for the purpose of ensuring straight-out lights against Labour. Meanwhile the work of the Indian Conference will proceed without interruption and Mr. MacDonald and Lord Sankey are maintaining close official contact therewith.