HUSHED HOUSE HEARS LABOUR PEER RESIGN

Chronicle (Levin), 24 June 1949, Page 5

HUSHED HOUSE HEARS LABOUR PEER RESIGN

"Unwillmg To Be Silent Passenger On Sinister Joorney"

^ Received Friday, 10.30 a.m. LONDON, June 23. Lord Milverton, a Labour Peer and former Colonial Governor, (jramatically announced his resignation from the Labour Party in a statement in the House of Lords today. He said he disagreed with the Goveknment's decision to nationalise the steel industry and intervened when the motion to consider the Iron and Steel Bill in committee was moved.

Lord Milverton said that he was resigning because he had for some time felt growing apprehension that "this Bill for lovers of freedom marks the parting of the ways. There seems to me to be a wider gap _ _ threatening our national stability than the dollar gap — that is the gap between princip'e and performance in these sehemes. • "Listening to speeches in this debate h^s made me certain, firstly, that the Bill is not necessary at present, if ever; secondly, that it will jeopardise the efficiency of our most vital industry; and, thirdly, that the urgency with which it is pressed strengthens the apnrehensions that control of this industry is itself the end and not the means to an end. We have here, naked and unashamed. the time-dishon-oured princip:© that they shou.'d take who have the power." Lord Milverton said he felt that the control in the Government's hands had reached dangerous proportions, especially if the Government itself was ever controlled by irresponsible, malicious or revo'utionary persons. "After all, the possibility of that looms only twelve

months ahead." He had been one of a large number of independe'nt-minded persons : who saw the merit of the Labour Party's programme of social justiee, but who were now beginning to feel uneasy about the 'engths to which the rest of the programme was taking them. "The road on which we -are travelling leads to a precipice at the foot of which cleaiiy emerges the totalitarian State." He h?d no desire to be a martyr, but he found it extremeiy difflcult even to attempt to make a public confession that he had made a mistake. "But I am unwil'ing to be a sile.nt passenger on this sinister journey." • Lord Milverton, speaking with emotion, made his speech from the Labouf Benches to a hushed Hquse of Lords and the Leader of the House, Viscount Addison looked grave. The resigning member then walked across'4 the floor of the House and sat with the Liberals. Lord Milverton, who is 64 years of age, served many years in the Malayan Civil Service.