PARTIES IN BRITAIN

Western Star, 18 December 1928, Page 2

PARTIES IN BRITAIN

The possibility of a political deadlock being produced by the next general election in Great Britain is generally anticipated as a result of the existence of ahree parties. Writing in tlio Observer recently, Mr J. L. Gavin predicted that the Unionists wjll number half the House or so nearly half that tire result of the general election may very well be in effect—under the three-party system—more like a ti e than anything known since the memorable situation at the end of 1885. The strength of the Labour Party is estimated at noti less than 250 and might be anything up to 280, but it ‘as yet has no chance of obtaining an absolute majority 'in the House of Commons or of forming an independent Government.’ Mr Gavin .discounts the speculations regarding the Liberal Party’s chance of holding the balance and indirectly controlling a Labour Government and adds :—‘lmagine the Unionists losing over 120 seats and coming back only about 280 in in number. If the Oppositions united at all, they would only have a majority of 40, riven inwardly from the .start with dissension, suspicion, jealousy and intrigue. If Mr Ramsay MacDonald could bring himself to take office on such terms, his plight would be more miserable than that of Mr Gladstone’s last Government of 1892 with a similarly exiguous and precarious majority. But could Labour ake office at all in such circumstances ? It is not likely. Mr Maxton, with 20 Labour dissentients, counting 40 on a division, would hold the House of Commons in the hollow of his hand, and extinguish the dream of Liberal domination. If the Unionists do not return with a sufficient working majority, however reduced, the life of the next House of Commons is unlikely to be a long one. The necessities of the King’s service would compel Mir Baldwin and Mr MacDonald to approach each other direct. Either Mr Baldwin might carry on with a non-controversia.l progamme until another general election could be arranged, of Mr Ramsay MacDonald might carry on. in the same way. But in no case ca.ii the ‘balance of power’ theory work as simply as most Liberals and some others are tempted" to expect.’ ■