13 JANUARY 1956, Page 8

THE RUMOUR about the Prime Minister's going was 'quickly scotched,'

according to The Times's political correspondent on Monday, by the denial from Downing Street. No doubt this is so if the word 'scotched' is taken in its correct sense (vide Macbeth : 'We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it'). But I fancy that this is not what was meant.

PHAROS