LABOUR PARTY CRISIS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 811, 4 November 1929, Page 9

LABOUR PARTY CRISIS

EXTREMISTS DEMAND RISE IN “DOLE” THREAT BY 50 MEMBERS LONDON,, Saturday. The Parliamentary correspondent of the “Daily News” says a crisis is developing in the ranks of the Labour Party in the House of Commons in connection with a demand for increased unemployment benefit rates. It is understood, says the writer, that Miss Margaret Bondfield, Minister of Labour, has been informed that unless the Bill to be introduced before Christmas augments these rates 50 Labour members will enter the lobby against the Government Miss Bondfield has promised to consider the matter and to report to a special meeting of the party. She and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Philip Snowden, are opposed to an increase, but they may bow to the storm and grant a small addition. That would not satisfy the “rebels,” says the correspondent. They insist upon £1 a week for unemployed men, 10s for their wives and os for each child. Those payments would aggregate £12.500,000 a year on the present unemployment basis. It is understood that Mr. Snowden has declared that if the disloyalty of Labour members jeopardises the Cabinet he will not carry on but will resign.