The Week in Parliament
Our Parliamentary correspondent writes: " We want a first eleven to play for England." This demand came from Lady Violet Bonham-Carter at last Saturday's Liberal demonstration in the Queen's Hall. During the debate on the Navy estimates on Tuesday, Mr. Horabin, the Liberal Member for North Cornwall, expressed the highest admira- tion for Mr. Churchill, and went on to remark that " if our war effort in other directions was as adequate, we should have no grounds for disquiet, or criticism of the Govern- ment." These two speeches fairly illustrate the present attitude of the Liberal Opposition. In recent weeks they have become increasingly critical of the personnel of the Treasury Bench. They are not yet prepared themselves to enter the Administration, but they argue that Mr. Chamber- lain is very far from making the best use of the talent avail- able on his own side. It is undoubtedly true that as a general rule Conservatives who were critical at the time of Munich are still debarred from promotion. Complaints on this score are not, of course, new. But in recent weeks several of the Ministers outside the War Cabinet have per- formed indifferently in debate, or have failed to give ade- quate replies when perfectly genuine grievances have been raised. It is therefore scarcely surprising that their opponents should draw invidious comparisons between the daemonic energy and constant successes of the Admiralty (under its present direction) and the alleged failure and ineptitude of other departments. Discontent, however, is not confined to the Opposition benches. Last week when it was announced that the Prime Minister was taking a direct interest in the matter of coal supplies Lady Astor expressed what must have occurred to many of her colleagues by asking whether it would not be fairer to Mr. Chamberlain and better for the country that he should have Ministers who could do the work.
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