--Portrait of the Week
TUB NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE seemed to stand in danger as, in the first flush of anger at their new pay award, hundreds of GPs threatened to return to private practice. The Government survived, by a majority of five, a censure motion over the aircraft industry. Sir Roy Dobson, the Hawker Siddeley chairman, upset the Opposition after- wards by saying they had 'waffled' over aviation when in office. The Rev. L. Williams, Labour MP for Abertillery, died, and some people began wondering whether the seat, with a 20,000 majority in a straight fight, was safe enough for Mr. Gordon Walker to fight it. Mr. George Brown's hopes of achieving an incomes policy rose when the employers' organisations fell into line. TUB NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE seemed to stand in danger as, in the first flush of anger at their new pay award, hundreds of GPs threatened to return to private practice. The Government survived, by a majority of five, a censure motion over the aircraft industry. Sir Roy Dobson, the Hawker Siddeley chairman, upset the Opposition after- wards by saying they had 'waffled' over aviation when in office. The Rev. L. Williams, Labour MP for Abertillery, died, and some people began wondering whether the seat, with a 20,000 majority in a straight fight, was safe enough for Mr. Gordon Walker to fight it. Mr. George Brown's hopes of achieving an incomes policy rose when the employers' organisations fell into line.
OMINOUSLY FOR MR. WILSON, the British Premier was singled out for special praise by General de Gaulle at his latest press conference. OS-French kelations slumped even further with the General calling for a return to the gold standard. The General and Ecuador's military junta each sent back presentation medals, following the latter's complaint that they were given only the rank of Grand Officer, and not Grand Cross, of the Legion of Honour. Spain began rumbling again about Gibraltar, but the thought of lost tourist trade prevented any definite action. Vietnam was more serious, with US planes retaliating for Viet Cong guerrilla raids on American bases. Mr. Kosygin visited Hanoi, endured a frosty visit in Peking, and naturally called on the US to leave the Far East.
GOVERNMENT By LEAK gave way to government_by committee. Lord Hinton is to head a transport Probe, an Energy Advisory Committee is to decide (within two years) the future of coal, a Sports Council was formed, and a special probe into soccer is coming. Another committee will formulate honours for exporters (Prince Philip is on this one), and an inquiry into auctions is likely. According to an Observer poll, 60 per cent think Sir Alec Douglas-Home must go if the Tories are to have any chance of winning the next election. Law reform got going at last (with both the Guardian and the Sunday Times claiming the first exclusive interview with any Lord Chancellor), the Trades Disputes Bill—reversing Rookes v. Barnard—was published, while Mr. Rookes him- self received £4,000 from his former union in an out-of-court settlement.
PRESIDENT JOHNSON ADMITTED 'it might have been a mistake' not to have sent Vice-President Humphrey to the Churchill funeral, the Queen Went ahead with her tour of the Sudan in spite of the threatening political crisis, and two former Ghanaian Cabinet Ministers were sentenced to death--at their second trial. Commonwealth Premiers are to meet in June, Mr. Bottomley and Lord Gardiner are to go to Southern Rhodesia for talks, and the Ulster Premier visited Dublin.
MR. BROWN WAS BOOED (good-naturedly, he in- sisted) at the Stock Exchange, Beatles' songs are the main assets of a music company seeking a Public quotation, and Ted Hill offered to go to the Lords on his retirement 'if it will help the Working classes.' Police accused crooks of an organised campaign of complaints, a Swedish girl Who set up in this country as a weaver was classi- fied as a light industry, and two Angus bulls were sold for 00,000 at Perth. It is hoped that the Champion of two years ago, sold for a record £63,000, will successfully undergo his forthcoming oPeration to put right his sterility.
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