But the session never recovered from the constitutional crisis. Not
even on the debate on the operation of the new Unemployment Assistance regulations was there any Party heat. Mr. Aneurin Bevan claimed that the scantily filled Government benches were evidence of the callous attitude of the Government supporters towards the plight of the distressed areas, but at the time that he was speaking the Labour benches presented an equal appearance of lassitude and indifference. A moving contribution, however, was made by Mr. George Hall from the Labour Front Bench. He spoke with deep knowledge- and most effective restraint. The only thing that was impressive about Mr. Ernest Brown's 'reply was his statistics. He was able to show that the average weekly payment to applicants receiving assistance had risen from .19s. in November, 1931, to 24s. id. in November, 1986. But Mr. Brown has not developed that quiet reasonableness and sympathetic touch neces- sary- in a Minister of Labour. He always gives an impression of self-satisfaction which is a peculiarly bad fault in the holder of that particular office. For he is the last man in the Government who ought to think that his administration is incapable of improvement.
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