It is one of the paradoxes of modem politics that
while in many specific cases the Labour Party is probably successful in expressing the mind of the majority of the electors, such success does not bring its corresponding reward at the polls. The public may frequently agree with the Socialist leaders but it prefers not to be governed by them. Undoubtedly, the personnel of the Front Bench is partly to blame. When Mr. Attlee says that man for man they are as good as their opposite numbers on the other side of the table he may believe it, but there can be few even among his own sup- porters who share his illusions. Early this session it was decided that the Front Bench should be elected instead of being composed largely of ex-Ministers as heretofore. Then the veterans got busy and managed to persuade their colleagues to re-elect them almost en bloc. A party which relegates Mr. Pritt to the back benches and refuses to promote men like Mr. Aneurin Bevan and Lieut.-Commander Fletcher has only itself to thank if the electorate is not impressed.
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