The polling in North-West Manchester, announced to the world last
Saturday morning, resulted in the return of Mr. Joynson-Hicks, the Unionist candidate, by a majority of 429 votes. Mr. Joynson-Hicks received 5,417 votes, while Mr. Churchill obtained 4,938, and Mr. Irving, the Socialist, 276. The Liberal poll shows a decrease of 651 votes, and the Unionist an increase of 1,019. In 1906 the Liberal majority was 1,241. We have dealt with the election elsewhere, and will only express here our satisfaction that the Government should have received so sternly worded a protest against their policy of serving Free-trade with their lips, but by their ants paving the way to Protection. Letters published in our correspondence columns show that the great mass of Unionist Free-traders in the constituency adopted the view held by the Spectator,—that at the present juncture the duty of Unionist Free-traders is to make it clear that a policy which must hopelessly compromise the finances of the country is not to be urged in the name of Free-trade.
