6 DECEMBER 1935, Page 3

* * Altogether the opening day produced a drab debate:

Mr.' Wakefield: who had the very difficult task 'Of moving the Address, made some good points which' were 'beauti fully phrased and lit up with some excellent • flashes of humour; but he made the mistake due' to pardonable nervousness of seldom taking his eyes from his mann-. script. Sir Charles Barrie, the seconder, though he made an interesting speech, lacked the light touch that' is expected on these occasions. And even Mr. Baldwin was below his usual form. Sir Archibald Sinclair, in his first speech as leader of the Opposition Liberals, was 'the only man who really scored: Particularly effective was his point that " if the Government claim to monopolise the title of 'National, the claim must rest not upon the so-called Labour and Liberal Members of Parliament who are adopted by Conservative associations and returned by Conservative votes, but upon the personality of the Prime. Minister, in whom we all feel some right of possession, in whose faith in Parliament and Democracy we place confidence, and whom it may fall to our lot in this Parliament, as in the last, to support against many of those who would claim to be his political henchmen."