2 OCTOBER 1964, Page 6

The Day of the Dons

Some years ago I referred to the Labour Partyi" leadership as 'a consortium of middle-aged donsA' Now almost daily one sees pictures and careeso: snapshots of Mr. H. Dumpty and his felloW"I eggheads. If the prophets are to be believed. vo' would have, in the event of a Labour victory, a', Prime Minister who was an Oxford don and a"' civil servant; a Foreign Secretary who was att.' Oxford don and a civil servant; a President ofol, the' Board of Trade who was an Oxford doll' and a civil servant; a Leader of the House of 't

Lords who was an Oxford don and a civil ser- vant; and a Minister of Science and Chief Brains Truster who was an Oxford don and a civil ser- vant. Far more chilling than the Day of the Iriffids would be (if it ever came) the Day of the Dons. It makes • one thankful for George Brown.