25 OCTOBER 1935, Page 3

The Week In 'Parliament Our Pailiainentaiy Correspondent writes : The

great' . debate on foreign affairs, which' is the prelude to an eledtion which is-likely to be fought with much heat and bitterness, began with an exchange of courtesies between Mr: Baldwin and Major Attlee that could only happen in England. The Prime Minister congratulated the leader Of the Opposition on his new post, and as one who knew' all ' the ' difficulties of Party leadership assured Major 'Attlee'of his sympathy and understanding when he' was involved in similar trouble. Major Attlee acquitted hireself Well in his cross-examination of the Go' ernment at questioeetime, and gave a new impression of fire and• spirit to the Opposition. There was some surprise at first that Mr. Lansbury was not present, until he was discovered on a back bench, which also contained Sir Stafford Cripps. It is clear that the change. of leadership is more than that of name, and that the Labour pacifists are very literally to take a back scat, at any rate for the immediate future.