20 JANUARY 1950, Page 5

Mr. Neil Maclean's grief at being excluded from the meeting

that was called to nominate a Labour candidate in succession to him at Govan is intelligible, for he has represented the constituency since 1918, and does not, I think, consider himself too old at 74 to stand again. But Mr. Maclean will carry one distinction at least into retirement with him. He was the first man to open his mouth in the outgoing Parliament, for it was he who proposed the re- election of Col. Clifton Brown as Speaker on August 1st, 1945. But actually the first man to open his mouth, someone will object, was whoever called on Mr. Maclean to propose the Speaker. In fact no one did. In accordance with established precedent the then Clerk of the House, Sir Gilbert Campion, rose in his place and pointed silently to Mr. Maclean. The Member for Govan thereupon began his speech.