There is no alleviation in the uneasiness of the supporters
of the Government at the way in which rearmament is being handled. They are complaining that in spite of the fact that there has been the plainest evidence of repeated bunglings no Defence Minister has thought it incumbent upon him to resign. The general view is that with the approach of 1987 Great Britain enters the danger zone, and that the need for a strong man at the helm becomes with each month increasingly imperative. Few Conservatives want the resignation of the Prime Minister, but the opinion is gaining ground that if he does intend to go he should resign now and not wait until the Coronation, which, they argue, is a wholly artificial date, and has no relation to the urgent problems of the hour. They are of the opinion that it is not fair on Mr. Neville Chamberlain that he should only succeed to the responsibilities of the Premiership when the dangers due to the delay in rearmament are likely to provoke the most mischief. I shall not be surprised if the demand for a drastic reconstruction of the Defence Departments in the New Year becomes so clamant that the Whips will advise that they cannot be responsible for the continued loyalty in the Division lobby if it is not undertaken.
Previous page
