CABINET REVOLT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 December 1938, Page 8

CABINET REVOLT

REPORTED IN BRITAIN Alleged Gaps m Defence Policy RESIGNATIONS OF LEADING MINISTERS DEMANDED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. —Copyright,. (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) LONDON, December 19. The “Evening Standard” . ays three junior Ministers are threatening tc resign, as a protest against gaps in defence and are demanding the resignations of the Secretary of State for War (Mr L. Hore-Belisha), the Air Minister (Earl Winterton) and the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence (Sir Thomas Inskip). The revolt is serious. Mr R. S. Hudson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade), the Marquess of Dufl'erin and Avan, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Colonies, and Lord Strathcona (Parliamentary Secretary for War), demand the dismissals, threatening their own resignation, as the only alternative. It is understood that they contend that the Ministeis fa.led to take advantage of the breathing space after the Munich Conference to push ahead vigorously with rearmament. Other junior Ministers, including Captain H. F. C. Crookshanks and the Earl of Feversham are understood to be in general sympathy with the rebellion. A movement has also started among back bench members of the Government and is likely to develop into a revolt, over certain aspects of the Government’s foreign policy.