LORD HAILSDAM'S widely published remark to the effect that 'I
wish I could be . . . sure that there was not a conspiracy on foot between some of the more extreme leaders of the unions and some of the less scrupulous leaders of the Labour Party to sabotage our economic policy by irres'ponsible wage demands . . roused (as he knew perfectly well it would) headlines and fury in about equal proportions. The Opposition was quick to get het up about so frightful a suggestion, but it was a pity their main defender was somebody as politically feeble-minded as Mr. Alfred Robens. Writing in the Sunday Pictorial, he seemed to me to have gone a long way towards proving Lord Hailsham's contention. Having decided that the trade union movement's two duties are `to make its contribution to the economy in order to sustain full employment' (a somewhat limited reason for contributing to the economy, surely?) and `to maintain the standard of living of its members and their families,' he goes on to declare that the trade unions have always been willing to co- operate with any Government which subscribes to these two principles. For this generous con- cession all will no doubt be grateful; but wait. He goes on to say that the Tories have 'trampled their principles underfoot.' So it would seem that the trade unions are absolved from their promises of co-operation. Mr. Robens then dots the t's and crosses the i's by adding : 'If the Government really wants the co-operation of the trade union movement it can get it by taking measures now to stabilise the cost of living.' Somebody ought to save Mr. Gaitskell from his friends.
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