PHOTO-FINISH

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

PHOTO-FINISH

LATEST ELECTION RETURNS FUTURE MOST UNCERTAIN tN.Z.P.A.—Copy right) (Rec. 12.10) LONDON, Feb. 24. The photo-finish General Election—the most sensational in the nation’s history—showed these figures at 9.30 p.m,: Labour .. .. .. 314 Conservative .. .. 289 Liberals .. .. . 8 - Other Parties .. .. 0 The chairman of the Conservative Party (Lord Woolton) said: “In the grave situation that has arisen, the Conservative Party does' not propose to make any comment at present upon the result.” Tvvo outstanding features of this election are: (1) The ignominious failure of the Liberal Party’s 475-man drive to recapture power. (2) The total eclipse of the Communists and their sympathisers. Their only two members in the last Parliament were tossed aside, and. the Labour Party’s five rebels who were expelled for supporting Communism were also' banished from Parliament. A Government formed on to-day’s figures would be the strangest in the 600 years of the House of Commons’ history. The tight margin might mean that the Labour Party would have to shelve more controversial policies such as nationalisation. Party Whips will have to lash members into constant attendance for fear of defeat on a' sudden snap vote. Members will find • their freedom sessions limited to the range of division bells. The election has been a recordbreaking one—the most momentous in living'memory. Never before has the . result been in doubt over so long a period of declaratiqns. i A record number of candidates were nominated, and more women than ever contested seats. The loss of deposits was heavy—well over £60,000 sterling having been forfeited already. So far 440 candidates have failed to obtain the necessary one-eighth of the total poll in their constituencies to save their deposit of £l5O sterling. The Liberals were heavy sufferers, more than 300 of their 475 candidates making the forfeit. 1 The Communists were proportionately worse off. More than 90 of their 100 candidates lost their deposits.. Some 40 per pent, of the “splinter” * groups also forfeited.