13 JANUARY 1950, Page 4

Mr. Shinwell, it seems to be thought, is at it

again, with a repetition of his "tinker's cuss" affirmation and his rejoinder to an interrupter that he "would rather have fish and chips than Tory tripe." This seems to demand comment—a comment with two edges. A public platform is not a Friends' Meeting. I really can't see any objection to "tinker's cuss," and the reference to fish and chips and tripe strikes me as rather a good hit. All the same Mr. Shinwell on a platform could easily become his own enemy. There are lines which should not be overstepped. I don't say he has overstepped them, but he rejoices in a temperament that might lead to that. In the party he is known as Manny (his Christian name being too polysyllablic for comfort), but no one has ever called him Canny Manny yet. It wouldn't be a bad reputation to earn.

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One of my paragraphs last week has elicited the following: "a. d. VIII Id. Ian. Illius sententiae auctor ad imam classem est mittendus. Sed felix Janus : ego enitn doleo quod femina ntea nunquam obliviscitur quantum supersit lactis. ltaque accipe hatzc in vino scriptam certain ab eo qui iocundum bonum tibi vult Annum Novum."—DIONYSO JACOBIS.

The second sentence seems to leave room for speculation.