21 MARCH 1931, Page 2

The defeat of the Government on University reprel sentation caused

recriminations between the Govern- ment and the Liberals, and the end of them is not yet. Besides the bitterness between those who are supposed to be allies there is internal indignation in both camps. The Labour Party is angry with twenty of its members who were absent unpaired. The Liberals are angry be- cause twenty-three Liberal members were absent unpaired, and ten voted against the Government. The official Liberal - instruction was that the Government must be upported. This insubordination or slackness, or whatever it was, was a violation of the condition upon which Sir Archibald Sinclair became Liberal Chief Whip. He accordingly resigned. On Wednesday there was some plain speaking by Mr. Lloyd George at a meeting of the Liberal Parliamentary Party. He said that if the Party (lid not obey orders it would sink into a rabble, but that by discipline it could be a formidable force. Sir John Simon, Mr. Runciman and eighteen other members did not attend the meeting. No decision was reached, but whatever plans may be made next week will vitally affect the fortunes of the Government as well as of the Liberals. A definite working arrangement with the Government might mean the extinction of the Liberal Party within a couple of years. * * * *