The Labour Opposition are finding the pacifist activities of the
Labour majority on the London County Council not a little embarrassing to them. They had to listen in guilty silence on Tuesday afternoon to a barrage of questions to the Secretary of State for ll'ar on the refusal of the London County Council to allow an anti-aircraft unit to demonstrate in Battersea Park. It is obviously difficult for them to maintain in the country t hat they arc not opposed to Great Britain being adequately defended while their colleagues in London local government are doing their best to impede by their restrictions on the use of London Parks the progress Of defenec reorganisation. I do not believe that as long as the international crisis continues Labour will ever gain substantial ground in the constituencies until they stand up to the pacifist vote and boldly declare themselves in favour of the Government's rearmament policy. The electors are badly frightened, and they will never give a majority to a Party which is not prepared adequately to defend their country against attack. It would be a real stroke of statesmanship if Mr. Attlee could see his way to announce on behalf of his Party that he was prepared not to make rearmament a political issue if the Government on their part would agree to couple with their defence measures a drastic policy of reconstruction in the Distressed Areas.
Previous page
