14 FEBRUARY 1936, Page 2

Ross and Cromarty Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, a Scottish .victory behind

him, will join his father in the House once more, and few will grudge him his success. He has laid the foundations of a promising political career, and it would be a great hardship to him, and some public loss, if it were inter- rupted at this stage. Mr. Randolph Churchill's failure— he only missed forfeiting his deposit by 167 votes—will not improve his political prospects. The result of •the election was unexpected - only' in the size of the poll. though it may surprise some people that a Scot and a Liberal should forfeit his deposit in a Scottish and Liberal constituency. But the electors of Ross and Cromarty, led by Sir Ian Macpherson, long ago left Liberalism pue sang, first for Coalition Liberalism, then. for National Liberalism. • Now at the end of their journey they have a National non-Liberal member who has come to meet them by an equally devious route. He will want to ad- vance -his political career after this electoral episode, and he has an excellent opportunity—by ending the futile dispute with the MAI -Free State;