In the House of Commons on Thursday the Government had
an unpleasant reminder of the precarious nature of their position. There was under discussion the. Prime Minister's motion to suspend the eleven o'clock rule in regard to the Budget resolutions. The figures of the division were as follows: For the motion, 255; against, 234. The Govern- ment majority thus fell to 21. There are, of course, plenty of explanations to show that this falling away of the majority in a " snap " division means nothing, and so forth, but in reality it means a good deal. It means that the Government's supporters are now thinking more about the country and their constituencies than about Westminster. In spite of official denials, there is a feeling that Dissolution cannot long be delayed, and when once that feeling gets into the air a situation is created inimical to the steady maintenance of Government majorities. In all probability the Government will avoid an accident. At the same time, it is impossible to deny that there is a good deal of risk of a sudden catastrophe. Remember also that there are many more Liberal members who hate the Budget than are -willing to say so in public. That, of course, is nothing new. Govern. menta have often come to grief, apparently on some outside question, when new taxation was the real cause of defeat.
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