Herbert
This chill winter has already seen the deaths of many political figures of the first magnitude: Churchill, Woolton, Monckton, Alexander of Hillsborough, and now Herbert Morrison. Im- pressions from the other side of the House are often leagues apart from those who knew the man closely, but Morrison seemed to me a most admirable politician. He had wit without malice, and toughness without arrogance.
• He was particularly successful as Leader of the House of Commons in Labour's heady days of power after 1945. His duels with Churchill on the weekly statement of business became a joyous part of the scene at Westminster. No quarter asked, none given. Plenty of offence given, none taken.
Presumably if he had- won South Hackney in the Tory landslide of 1931 he would have be- come Leader of his party, and in 1945 Prime Minister. Probably he ,would have been more effective than Attlee both in the 1950 and 1951• 'sage counsellor you can't share iny interests!' general elections. Even if he did not lead his,
party (as he deserved to do), his political memorial will be that he did more than any other man to drag the Labour Party kicking and screaming into the twentieth century.
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