The Labour Party Factions
There is undoubtedly some significance in the fact that in the contest for the deputy-leadership of the Labour Party Mr, Bevan, who was expected to get about fifty votes, got 82, and that Mr. Morrison, who was expected to get over two hundred got 194. There are one or two things that are not clear, bid two that undoubtedly are. The Parliamentary Labour Para manifestly wants Mr. Morrison more than twice as much a it wants Mr. Bevan; on the other hand it wants Mr. Beva more than was commonly supposed. What is not clear is tic effect of the vote on the Labour Party, and the effect of it ca the Bevanite section. For the moment at any rate the spit is perpetuated; it may even be deepened by the result of th impending vote on the election of the Parliamentary Committee for the present session. But it need by no means be regardei as permanent, unless Mr. Bevan wants to make it so, whici there is no reason to suppose. At the same time the bitternes of the trade union section of the Party towards the Bevania section is considerable, and it will not quickly die down. Tic nature of the activities of Mr. Bevan's supporters on the plat. form and in print -may affect that a good deal. It is possibk that this week's vote represented a high-water mark, frog which there will be some recession. But that is by no means certain. And Mr. Bevan's obvious way of progress is b) influencing, the choice of candidates by the constituency parties, v'hose delegates supported him so strongly at Morecambe. In nost cases the trade unions-tan get their way in that sphere if they choose to -exert themselves, which is not always their habit.
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