ELECTION IN BRITAIN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 104, 15 February 1950, Page 5

ELECTION IN BRITAIN

COST TO TAXPAYERS ESTIMATE OF £709,000 (N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright). (Rec. 12.10 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 14. Two additional Liberal nominations were: announced tp-day, bringing the total nominated for the British elections to 1866, ancr Liberal candidates to 474. The election will cost British taxpayers about £700,000 sterling, less an estimated £30,000 sterling in deposits. The actual cost of the 1945 election was £667,991 sterling which was reduced by £24,450 sterling, the value of 163 forfeited deposits. The aggregate cost of the election will be about £4,000,000 sterling if the expenditure of all candidates is included. Labour deserved to win because of the job it had done for Britain, the Commonwealth and Europe, Mr Herbert Morrison said to-day in an interview. He Was pessimistic, he said, about the effect the Tory Government could have on Britain’s world relationships. He did not consider the Liberal Party would be effective at the polls. Mr Morrison emphasised that Britain was a two-party country. Its constitution worked best under a Government with a coherent majority and a vigorous opposition.. He said that as a “party of the interests,” the Tories, if returned, would be compelled by such interests to turn their backs on many of their election promises. Their policy, too, would lead to more industrial disputes.