An interesting official statement is made with regard to the
finances of the Labour Party in Thursday's papers. Each of the twenty-nine M.P.'s qualified to receive benefits from the Parliamentary Fund is paid 2290 a. year, and this, with other necessary expenses—percentage of Returning Officers' foes, salary of a clerk to the Whips, &e., and percentage to general fund—brings the total expenditure to 26,290 per annum. Last year's income being only 24,000, the Executive announce that they will, propose at the next annual Conference that payments to the Parliamentary Fund of the Labour Repre- sentation Committee should be raised from a• penny to twopence per member per annum. With an income of 28,000. a margin of 21,500 would be left to meet the further charges of maintenance and Returning Officers' fees anticipated from the increased representation of Labour in Parliament. We bave never disguised our antagonism to many of the aims and methods of the Labour Party, but we have nothing but respect and approval for the independence they exhibit in solving the financial question of the maintenance of their Members in Parliament. The method they have adopted has not only proved that the State payment of Members is unnecessary, but it is far better calculated to secure the direct representation of Labour.
Previous page
