BRITISH CABINET CRISIS.

Wairarapa Age, 20 January 1922, Page 5

BRITISH CABINET CRISIS.

L LOYD GEORGE MAY RESIGN. REFORM OF LORDS THE CAUSE. (Press Association—Copyright.) (Received 10.30 p.m.) London, Jan. 19.—Although the elections are postponed, a Cabinet crisis has arisen since Mr Lloyd George’s return. The Premier strongly resents Sir George Younger’s public threats of the withdrawal of the Unionists from the Coalition if the elections are held before the reform of the House of Lords is carried. He also resents Mr Chamberlain’s failure to control Sir George Younger, whose manifestoes and speeches have virtually claimed Mr Chamberlain’s support. It is reported that Mr Lloyd George threatened to resign, taking the Coalition Liberals into opposition, and handing over the Government to Mr Chamberlain, whose Unionist supporters constitute a majority in the Commons. The break-up of the Coalition will be inevitable if the Unionists endeavour to compel Mr Lloyd George to introduce a Bill reforming the House of Lords. The Unionists want the restoration of the House of Lords veto, which the Parliament of 1911 abolished, but the Coalition Liberals will not support restoration except to a purely elective Second Chamber.

Interest in the crisis has been increased by the political leaders’ public engagements. Mr Chamberlain speaks at Glasgow to-day and at Edinburgh, with. Sir George Younger, tomorrow.

Mr Lloyd George will address a conference of Coalition Liberals in London on Saturday. It is stated that his speech will be of the utmost importance, but whether it will consist of the castigation of Sir George Younger or an attempt to heal the dissension in the Coalition is unknown.—(A. and N.Z.)