“GUTTERSNIPE” POLITICS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 105, 16 February 1950, Page 5

“GUTTERSNIPE” POLITICS

ATTACK ON MR CHURCHILL (Rec. 11.20 a.m.), LONDON, Feb. 15. Sir Stafford (Tripps, speaking at Edinburgh, attacked Mr Churchill for his speech last night. Sir. Stafford Cripps expressed regret that “the person whom I admired for his wartime leadership, and, indeed, friendship, should sink to quite this level of guttersnipe politics.”

He added: “I have been expecting him to break out into this sort of blustering and irresponsible vulgarity which he apparently mistakes for reasoned argument. It all strikes me as slightly pathetic, but then the old man has never had the slightest appreciation of peacetime economies.” After referring to - the latest Treasury returns which, he said, showed a total surplus to date of £972,000,000 sterling, Sir Stafford Cripps ridiculed the statement by Mr Churchill that “'the Government has brought the country to the verge of bankruptcy.’ Sir Stafford commented: “That is the sort of ridiculous charge the leader of the Opposition is throwing about careless of the result on the country’s credit, if only he can damage his political opponents.” In a speech at Lincoln, Mr Attlee said: “Mr Churchill does not really mind whether people are Liberal or Conservative as long as they are Churchill ians. I know no one who is more loyal to the party to which he is attached for the time being than Mr Churchill.”—Reuter.