The speech in which the Minister of Health introduced the
National Health Service Bill in the House of Commons on Tuesday was, I imagine, the best he has yet made in the House—certainly the best of a constructive order. Mr. Aneurin Bevan can be as challenging and provocative as any man when he chooses, but on this occasion he very wisely did not choose. To say that his speech was convincing would be to betray some bias—for it certainly did not convince the official Opposition. But it was studiously conciliatory ; it expressed resistence, but no animosity, to the doctors' claims ; it outlined the existing position and the need for change clearly and fairly ; it indi- cated open-mindedness as regards the composition of the regional boards ; and—what is perhaps most important of all—it created the impression that the measure when it is law will be administered'. reasonably and sympathetically. There was an ominous reference to " vested and sectional interests " in the first few sentences of the speech, but in the event they proved to -be no more than an instruc- tive demonstration of a temptation successfully resisted.
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