POLITICAL BAROMETER IN BRITAIN

Grey River Argus, 16 April 1948, Page 5

POLITICAL BAROMETER IN BRITAIN

LONDON, April 14,

The recent urban and rural district council elections in Britain for 3062 seats in more than 500 councils in which one-third oi each council’s seats is decided, Conservatives have now recorded a net gain of 265, while Labours’ net losses were 159. Independent candidates with Conservative support secured a net gain of 55.

Conservatives claim it as an even greater success than the borough elections of last November.

Mr Morgan Phillips, secretary of the Liberal Party has warned the Socialist leaders that they cannot afford such set-backs as those experienced in both elections. He said: “There is too much complacency within the Labour Movement to-day.” He declared that Britain’s vital experiment in Democratic Socialism will be endangered, unless a greater sense of urgency is to be displayed in campaigning throughout the country.

He does not agree that the recent elections were a bigger gain for the Conservatives than those of November. He puts the figure at 20 per cent., compared with 40 per cent. He also announced that "they spotlight the fact that a turnover of only 7J per cent, in the 1945 general election voting would rob Labour of its present Parliamentary majority.” A recent Gallup poll, (which is remembered as beng very accurate before the last general election —when it indicated that the popularity of Mr Attlee and his Government had declined by from six to nine percentage points, respectively, over the last two months.

It is reported that th fl Labour Party is preparing its programme for the next general election and for its biggest local government test this time next year, when there will be elections for county, county borough, rural urban, and parish council elections. One thing is apparently increasingly exercising the minds of Labour Party leaders is the attitude of the middle class, which had an important influence on Labour gaining power in 1945. Sensing that the Government is losing support in this quarter, Mr Herbert Morrison has for some time been explaining the virtues of Socialism to it. Mr Shinwell and Sir Hartley Shawcross have begun to sing in tune with Mr Morrison. T.U.C. AND BUDGET ■ Either formal or informal meetings are to be held by the economic committee of the Trades Union Congress with the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir Stafford Cripps). The T.U.C., it is stated, is bv no means happy about the Budget. Though it is satisfied that the income tax concessions will brine fairly substantial benefits to the higher paid skilled workers and to those working a considerable am-

ount of overtime, therp is concern over the position of the. lower paid workers and those on fixed weekly wages. ’ More information on. th n Governments’ plans to curb prices and profits is sought and the Budget s proposals about capital have not been accepted as a substitute for an attack on profits.