18 DECEMBER 1926, Page 2

Lord Grey deserves thanks for his speech from others besides

those Liberals who agree with him. He has not feared to say things which must have been extremely distasteful to him, because he felt it to be a public duty to do so. Most Liberal newspapers are saying in effect day by day, " Within - Liberalism, which is the extreme expression of freedom, there is plenty of room for variety of opinion and modes of expression. Let us therefore say nothing, or at all events as little as possible, against Mr. Lloyd George and quietly accept his leadership, which as a matter of fact is indispensable." Lord Grey, with characteristic honesty, cannot bring himself to argue in that way for the mere. sake of political convenience or advantage. He feels that Mr. Lloyd George has been irresponsible, and opportunist to the point of political indecency and that his methods have had a lamentable reaction upon the whole political life of the country. One would have expected more Liberals to say the same thing, since as a party they traditionally pride themselves on a certain correctness and austerity. Anyhow, Lord Grey has said what needed saying, with great effect.

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