SENSATIONAL LABOUR DEFEATS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 256, 28 October 1931, Page 7

SENSATIONAL LABOUR DEFEATS.

Mr Arthur Henderson Loses Seat to RearAdmiral Campbell, V.C. MR BEN TILLETT AMONG THE FALLEN. (United Press Association. — By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received October 28, 2 p.m.) LONDON, October 27.

SENSATIONAL Labour defeats were the outstanding feature of the day’s polling. The Labour leader, Mr Arthur Henderson, was beaten at Burnley by RearAdmiral Campbell, Y.C., Mr Ben Tillett lost bis seat, and Miss Ellen Wilkinson fell a victim to the voters’ onslaught. “From Socialist Fog to National Sunshine ” was the symbolical streamer of the “ Evening News ” when the morning fog, which was very dense in many parts of the country, dispersed, the sun shining brilliantly. Polling throughout the day was unprecedentedly heavy.

Britain now awaits the verdict witli bated breath, while the whole world eagerly awaits the decision.

Thousands visited the cabarets and clubs to hear the results, while many millions more are listening by their firesides, the broadcasting stations carrying on until four o’clock in the morning.

Special tape machines have been installed at Buckingham Palace for the King to receive the results. The Prince of Wales is listening in at his country house, Belvedere, and the Duke and Duchess of York at Piccadilly House.

Never before has there been greater interest in an election. The cable companies engaged a special staff to cDal with the traffic. Many American papers are taking the complete results. The arrangements for the distribution of the news included special broadcasts for liners homeward, and Outward bound.

There were many proofs of the exceptional enthusiasm shown in this election. At seven o’clock this morning a queue at North Lambeth was headed by thirty nurses from night duty, who were determined to vote before going to bed. Firemen returning drenched from a fire at Plymouth stopped at the polling booth and marched in and voted in a body. Polling closed under a thick blanket of fog, which caused many lost votes, workers arriving to find the polling booths closed. The first 300 voting papers for South Portsmouth were not officially stamped and the validity of the votes will be decided later. Theatres and greyhound tracks are remaining open until two o’clock in the morning, the results being displayed on screens. Huge Conservative Majorities. The first returns at 9.45 gave an immediate- suggestion of a landslide. There were huge increases in the Conservative majorities at Hornsey and Cheltenham, notably the former, where there was a gain of 15,654. Close on the heels of these came smashing Labour reversals at North and West Salford, Ben Tillett biting the dust at North Salford to the tune of 11,880 compared with his 1929 majority of 3726. West Salford resulted in a win for Lieut.Commander F. Astbury, a Conservative gain. Hornsey and Cheltenham were regained by the Conservatives in straight fights, both with enormously increased majorities. Hastings provided a significant example of a surprising accession to the Conservative strength, Lord Eustace Percy gaining 6700, the National Liberal losing 4400 and the Labourite 1600. Exeter afforded the first test of National Labour against official Labour, the former prevailing to the extent of 613, through official Labour dropping 1403. There was a National Liberal gain at Dewsbury, where formerly there had been a three-cornered contest. This time there was a straight fight. Labour was in a minority of 8362. An enormous increase in the Conservative majority occurred at Wallasey, the majority of 7829 in 1929 swelling to 32,449. Warrington registered a Conservative gain from Labour, with a substantial majority of 4343, replacing Labour’s 3585. The New Party figured in only one contest, Ashton-Under-Lyne, where it was at the bottom of the poll with 424 votes. It was a remarkable fact that Labour had not moved in the first 100 minutes after the first declaration. Not a single success had been recorded, whereas there had been sixteen Conservative and two National Liberal wins. Following Mr Ben Tillett’s defeat there came another significant Labour defeat. The veteran Sir James Sexton, at St Helens, went down, his majority of 8105 being wiped out for a Conservative majority of 2430. Sir James Sexton is one of the most respected Trade Unionists. The results Oontinyed to indicate that the Liberals were voting solidly with the Conservatives where there was a straight-out fight, Conservative against Labour. For instance, at Stoke-Lwing-ton, where in 1929 there was a Conservative vote of 9030 and a Liberal vote of 7958, making a total of 16,988, there now is a Conservative vote of 16,035 against Labour’s 5837. Like a dramatic Hash came the announcement that Mr Henderson was out. His defeat was not unexpected, but there was surprise when the size of the Conservative majority, 8209, was known. The Liberal vote of 12,602 in 1929 must have gone solidly in favour of Rear-Admiral Campbell. The defeat of the Leader of the Opposition is a most severe blow to Labour. His defeat was too sweeping to permit of his indisposition being counted as the reason. Mr Henderson has been a political nomad, and has been rejected for many seats—Barnard CaStle, East Ham, Widnes, Newcastle and now Burnley. The Labour majority of 9338 at Barnsley melted in the face of the National Liberal attack, where there was a notable Government victory. A succession of Conservative gains followed. Severe Labour Losses. Labour lost Wakefield and Farnworth, Lancashire, which have peen held py Lapour since 1922, turned over

with a substantial majority. A big swing occurred at Accrington, where the Labour majority of 2226 was converted into a Conservative majority of 12,500. Not until 11.45 was the first Labour man. returned, Mr R. C. Wallhead holding Merthyr in a straight fight against the New Party candidate. Presumably alal the Liberal or Conservative fotes went to the Labourite. Dr Sommerville Hastings had a terrific slump at Reading, the Conservative candidate converting the deficiency of 852 at the 1929 election into a majority of 15,162.

GOVERNMENT.

CONSERVATIVES. Hackney South. Graves, Miss F. M. (Con.) .... 15.920 Morrison, Herbert (Lab.) .... 12,827 ' Conservative gain. (Herbert Morrison (Lab ), 15,590; Sir Tresham Lever (Con.), 8222; Miss Morgan Gibbon (Lib.), 6302; J. T. Murphy (Com.), 331.) Edgehill. Futherford, Sir Hugo (Con.) .. 19,901 Hayes, J. H. (Lab.) 11,722 Conservative gain. (J. H. Hayes (Lab. 17,650; Sir Hugo Rutherford (Con.), 11,622. A. D. Dennis (Lib.), 2581.) • St Helens. Spencer, R. A. (Con.) 26.131 Sexton, Sir James (Lab.) .... 23,701 Conservative gain. (Sir James Sexton (Lab.), 27,665; R. A. Spencer (Con.), 19,560.) Stockton-on-Tees. Macmillan Captain 11. (Con.) . . 29,199 Rilev, F. F. (Lab.) 18,168 Conservative gain. (F. F. Riley (Lab.) 18,961; Captain H. Macmillan (Con.), 16,572; J. C. Hayes (Lib.), 10,407.) Wallasey. Moore-Brabazon, Lt.-Col. J. T. C. (Con.) 40.161 Mack, J. D. (Lab.) 7.712 (Sir R. B. Chadwick (Con.), 21,456; H. Phillips (Lib.) 13,628; J. D. Mack (Lab.), 11,544.) Hythe. Sassoon, Sir Philip (Con.) .... 20,277 Colman, Miss G. M. (Lab.) .... 3,608 (Sir Philip Sassoon (Con.), 12,982; Miss Hester Holland (Lib.), 6912; Miss Gertrude M. Colman (Lab.), 2597.) Salford West. Astbury, Lieut.-Com. F. (Con.) 24,083 Haycock, A. (Lab.) 12,320 Conservative gain. (A. W. Haycock (Lab.), 15,647; Lieu-tenant-Commander F. W. Astbury (Con.), 15,289; Miss M. P. Grant (Lib.), 5614.) Salford North. Morris, P. J. (Con.) 25.752 Tillett, Ben (Lab.) 13,271 Conservative gain. (Ben Tillett (Lab.), 17,333; Dr Iladen Guest (Con.), 13,607; J. Rothwell (Lib.), 6609.) NATIONAL LIBERALS. Middlesbrough East. Young, E. J. (Nat. Lib.) 18,409 Wilkinson, Miss Ellen (Lab.) .. 12,080 National-Liberal gain. (Miss Ellen C. Wilkinson (Lab.) 12,215; E. J. Young (Lib.) 9016; J. W. Brown (C.) 8278.)