Unstable Condition Predicted

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 113, 25 February 1950, Page 5

Unstable Condition Predicted

The London Stock Exchange came to a standstill during the afternoon as all eyes were fixed on the indicator boards showing the latest results. Cheers greeted every Conservative win and groans every Labour return. Prices—down this morning on Labour’s overnight lead—held steady during the rest of the session. All through the afternoon tension mounted, and crowds in front of loud-speakers giving results became so great that the police had to threaten to order the speakers switched off unless the people let traffic through. By the time workers were knocking off at 5 p.m. Labour and the rest were level. Loud-speakers broadcast the neck-and-iieck race as Labour and its opponents see-sawed. ' Labour officials admitted unofficially as the scores levelled that the odds were then on a narrow victory for the Conservatives. Labour, however, then spurted ahead again, and finally gained an overall majority. Mr Churdhill declared- at 5 p.m.: “Obviously Parliament will be in a very unstable condition .whatever Parliament comes from the election. •

Churchill Mobbed When Mr Churchill’s own election was announced at Conservative headquarters the building resounded with wild cheering and stamping. Mr Churchill was mobbed as he -drove from his Kensington mansion to the home of a friend. Crowds surged around his car singing “for he s a iolly good fellow.” . Speaking with .obvious emotion, Mr Churchill declared: “The election has

been a model of the way things are done irrespective of party feelings in our island.” He continued: “It may be an example to many countries on the continent of Europe where the same resolute fairness and correctness on the part of all concerned in conducting an election is not always the most prominent and notable feature.” The Conservative speaker of the House, Colonel Clifton-Brown, won easily from the Independent candidate. Four more Liberals were elected this afternoon. They included Lady Megan Lloyd-George, daughter of Britain’s First World War Premier. Mr Clement Davies, leader, of the Liberal Party, was re-elected for Montgomery with a 6780 majority, 'compared with 3123 in 1945. Mr Mayhew Defeated

Captain Christopher Soames, Mr Churchill’s son-in-law, was elected lor Bedford. Miss Jennie Lee, wife of the Healt.i Minister, Mr Aneurin Bevan, was reelected for Cannoak, Staffordshire Mr Ernest Bevin’s right-hand man at the Foreign Office, Mr Christopher Mayhew, was defeated at Norfolk South 5- by a Conservative. Mr Mayhew won the seat for Labour at the last election with a majority of nearly 6000. This time he lost by 2429. Mr William Gallacher, one of » two Communists in the last Parliament, was at the bottom of the poll in West Fife. Mr W. Hamilton (Labour) won the seat with a majority of 13,445.