The Press Wednesday, March 30, 1921. The British Political Situation.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17106, 30 March 1921, Page 6

The Press Wednesday, March 30, 1921. The British Political Situation.

A few days ago, in the course of the speech in which, he denounced the Labour Party, Mr Lloyd George used a phrase which appears to suggest that a general selection may take place soon. "We.must-take .every measure," he said, "to instruct the electorate, which "at no distant date will have to decide " the destiny of the county." wards the end of January strong rumours of an impending general election were current. These rumours were —based upon the inferences to be macks from" a series of interesting facts. Sir Donald Maclean warned the public to look out for a general election' as soon ' as a Bill for the reform of the House ' of Lords was introduced, and shortly afterwards George Younger, the chairman of the .Central Consprvative' Association, and one of the most importwit men in the Coalition, delivered a speech at Cambridge in which he said ■ that after the passing of the Budget and a Bill for the refprm of the House of Lords the: present Government might sing their "Nuno Diinittis." Immediately this it became known that Lord 'Derby had just refused office* -All these, facts were , regarded, as very significant, and some people saw some further related significance in what we - should have supposed was an indepen- ■ dent event altogether—the threat of - Lord Hugh' Cecil to . follow his brother Lord Robert across the floor of the House. Denials ; came promptly from Government Sir William Sutherland, who is a Government Whip, ,and Sir . Robert' Home—but in these'oases nobody pays much attention ' tQ official and the aotual rear . son given by Sir' Robert 'Horne Ar treating the rumours. -aB absurd was , particularly unconvincing. The Government waa too busy with'the stupendous ?it, he said, to have time for; considering political man- : ceuvres. But'Mr Lloyd George has confessed that his forte is- political' stra- . tegy. ( . The Government's record is far from good, and the'results of tho by-elections (that have taken place sinee the anazjig electioß of 1918—when the principal plank in/the Lloyd George .policy - execution of the Kaiser—inculcate that there is not much inclination on the part of the'publio to. make allowances for the difficulty of- the tasks that faced the Coalition. But this is .riot that the Coalition will not come back to power with a good majority. Despite the defection of the Cecils, the Government hag behind, it practically the full strength of the Conservative and Unionist opinion of the Kingdom. Against iVthere are ranged the Labour Party and the Independent Lib- ' erals. These two parties are indisposed to give way' to each other, and there is. no reason why one of them should allow itself to be swallowed up by the other. Thqy are united in dislike of the policy and general character of the Government, "but they differ the ono from the other nearly as sharply atf either of them from the Coalition. Weakened andi divided, they are * not very likely, so far as one can see . at present, to br|ak Mr. Lloyd George's grip upon office. Sir Donald Maclean, commenting at Peebles upon that statement of Sir George Younger's which we have already quoted, sSidJhat the vast majority of thelpeople of Britain would 'promptly respond with a-Te Deum for the .opportunity of expressing ai opinion on-.the reokless extravagance and inefficiency of the Government. He :;,did not say the country would snatch fei at the opportunity of turning the Govi - >r~fl■ 1i >* Ja'ni nnf •..v•• : . "

expect a Government defeat, because he did not go further in this spceeh than a prophecy that a body of Independent Liberals would be sent to the House powerful, efficient, and determined enough to enforce rigid economy. The Government will obviously base its appeal for support upon the necessity for preventing extreme Labour from dominating the situation, and this is an appeal which extreme Labour has certainly don® much to justify.