11 OCTOBER 1957, Page 7

I EXPECTED the Labour Party conference to con- demn the

Government for abandoning the Shops Bill, but it was done with a log-rolling insouciance that left me slightly out of breath. The motion was proposed by Mr. Birch, of the Shopworkers' Union, there was no debate on it, and the reply for the Executive, accepting the motion, was given by Mr. Walter Padley, of, believe it or not, the Shopworkers' Union. A good time was thus had by the Shopworkers' Union, and the cus- tomers (as usual) can dance attendance upon them. And then the Socialists complain about the influence exerted by the brewers on the policy of the Tory Party!