IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 47, 1 July 1913, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

MR ASQUITH'S RETIREMENT. [By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] [United Press Association.] London, June, 30. It is stated that Mr Asquith, in i, speech at a private dinner at the Reform Club, conveyed the impres uon that he felt his recent political anxieties much more than even his intimate political asosciates had beer. !ed to imagine.

The newspapers recall the Premier's several hints of retirement.

The question of Sir E. Grey sue ?eeding to the Premiership is being liscussed in Parliamentary circles. The "Daily Mail" declares that it is highly improbable that Mr Asquith will retire from the leadership until i dissolution and the Home Rule Bill lias been pasesd under the Parliament Act. THE INSURANCE BILL. Mr Masterman has informed an ap proved societies' deputation that e further fuller insurance amending Bill is necessary, but owing to tin present lack of time it will not be introduced before 1914.

THE LEICESTER MANIFESTO (Received 10.10 a.m.) London, June 30

Sir Maurice Levy, Liberal M.P. foi Leicestershire, in a letter in reply to Mr Ramsay MacDonald's remarK about "tittle tattle", assumes the responsibility of telephoning the mani festo to Leicester. It was on tin authority of a leading Independent Labor member of the House of Com.nous, with a request to announce ii as the result of the party's meetrng the member assuring Mm that he had no official repudiation. The writer adds: "The manifesto was written practically at the informant's dictation." DRAFTED BY NORWICH ROBERT^ The Time states that Mr G. Robert!'Labor M.P. for Norwich) drafted the manifesto. PvEIR HARDIE KNOWS NOTHING

Mr Keir Hardie, at Cardiff, said he did not [know why the Labor Party had no candidate. TheLeicester question was still unsettled, but he would report thereupon in a few days. Also he did not know why the Party failed to support the British Socialist party's candidate, but if the latter partv stood outside the working class movement, they would not be entitled to support from those it despised. There was no agreement between the Labor Party and the Liberals regarding either double or single member constitutiences.