LABOUR’S PROGRAMME FOR BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24899, 12 June 1946, Page 7

LABOUR’S PROGRAMME FOR BRITAIN

New Nationalisation Measures Promised by Attlee

“PLANNED ECONOMY BEING INTRODUCED”

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 12.45 a.m.)

LONDON, June 11

New nationalisation measures were in preparation, said the Prime Minister (Mr Attlee) at the British Labour Party Conference at Bournemouth. The nationalisation measures were an essential part of the planned economy which was being introduced in Britain.

The measures were not theoretical trimmings. They were designed to help in promoting full employment, economic prosperity, and justice for all. They were vital to the efficient working of the industrial and economic machine of Britain. They were the embodiment of the party’s Socialist principle of placing the welfare of the nation before that of any section and dealing with every problem in a practical, business-like way. The nationalisation of the Bank of England had gone through Parliament “without a ripple,” said Mr Attlee. The case for the nationalisation of mines was unanswerable. The Opposition had no alternative. The cable and wireless measure was now in committee, and so was the civil aviation measure. Work would continue on new measures. Every one of these measures had come out of hard, practical experience and close study of the problems involved.

‘1 think this is a pretty good start,” said Mr Attlee. “Remember, you must not overload the legislative machine. Quite a number of members of the House of Commons are realising that we have made our policy of full employment begin with them. The Government is planning work for the next three sessions.

“This legislative activity is unexampled. There are a lot of fish in the basket and they are not just minnows. There is a pretty big salmon among them.”