11 OCTOBER 1940, Page 3

Parliamentary Notes Our Parliamentary Correspondent writes: So Parliament has resumed,

but not without some serious misgivings. The Prime Minister spoke with his usual eloquence and command of language, he defended Sir John Anderson and praised his successor, he breathed the right spirit into Civil Defence, he commended Army organisation, announced the lapse of the Burma Road agreement, and spoke a timely word on Spain. But the House realised that the explanation of Dakar was quite unsatisfactory ; that the enlargement of the War Cabinet needed more cogent defence, especially from Mr. Churchill; that as regards London the chaos of authorities, Commissioners and Government Departments needed a much more radical treat- ment. And so the eloquence was forgotten and the hard facts remained.