Macmillan Regaining Lost Prestige

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28259, 23 April 1957, Page 11

Macmillan Regaining Lost Prestige

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, April 22. After the longest continuous period of sittings since they took office in 1951—13 weeks—the Conservatives left Westminster for the Easter recess with far more confidence than when they returned after Christmas. In spite of the swing against them in by-elections a few weeks ago, criticism of the Rent Act and unsettled labour conditions in industry, they feel that the political see-saw is rising in their favour. What probably pleases them most of all is the praise being directed towards Mr Macmillan as Prime Minister and the criticisms that are being heaped on Mr Gaitskell, the Leader of the Opposition. Not only has Mr Macmillan reaped favourable comment on the Bermuda conference, on the reorganisation of defence and, to a lesser extent, on the Budget, but it is being claimed that economically Britain’s position is sounder than for several years. There is now a feeling that with a reasonable share of good luck. Mr Macmillan might yet give the Socialists, so recently sure of winning the next General Election, the shock of their lives. Although his first three months as Prime Minister have not been easy, these are some of the things that are being said of him by his approving critics: He has effortlessly tightened his grasp on the Conservative leadership. Nobody any longer regards him as on probation for he has made his rank substantive. He is making himself a success by his self-confidence based

on his long experience of Parliament and his familiarity with its techniques. He is relaxed, nonchalant, and a master politician, as he proved when he extricated Sir David Eccles from his gaffe over cinema tax, survived the resignation of Lord Salisbury which, to the general surprise hardly caused a political ripple, and by his blunt questioning of Mr Gaitskell revealed a split in the Labour Party on the question of the H-bomb.

Mr Macmillan’s performance was praised on this occasion and last week he was again described as being on top of his form when he wound up the debate on the Defence White Paper. He twitted Mr Gaitskell with being “the lost leader,” and while showing himself conscious of the broadlyheld feeling against the tests, declared: “The trouble is that those who carry responsibility and perhaps even those who aspire to responsibility must make decisions, and on this matter, decisions must be made now. Referring to the British tests on Christmas Island, he declared that if they were postponed they would never be held and that responsibility he was not willing to take. “Until we can get full disarmament we have only two choices: we must rely on the power of the nuclear deterrent or we must throw up the sponge. He also said Britain had made some inquiries of the Russians on which she was awaiting clarification. While Mr Macmillan is generally agreed to have confirmed his personal command of Parliament, to enjoy his job, and to have

not the slightest doubt he is equal to it, almost the reverse is being said about Mr Gaitskell. He is charged with vacillation over the test arguments and by general account he made a mistake in reserving his comments on the Budget until the last day of the debate, when he made an indifferent speech which fell well below the standard of that set by Mr Harold Wilson, Labour’s “shadow’ Chancellor.”

This is what one political commentator remarks of him this week-end: “Mr Gaitskell has been slipping so noticeably in recent weeks that even his best friends are beginning to feel anxious about him. Unless he takes energetic measures to re-establish respect for his leadership, his personal position will become increasingly compromised.” Mr Gaitskell has largely brought these troubles on his own head, and Labour members, unlike the Conservatives, have gone away from Westminster for Easter in a troubled state of mind. Parliament reassembles on April 30 and not the least interest in the following weeks will be to observe the personal fortunes of Mr Macmillan and Mr Gaitskell. One theory is that while the Prime Minister will further entrench himself, the Leader of the Opposition may find increasing competition for his post from Mr Bevan and also, it Is more recently suggested, from Mr Wilson, whom one commentator describes as “the third man.”