Labour's Dissensions Even its opponents' somewhat tardy recognition of the
fact that an overstrong Government has its dangers, and that the body politic cannot be healthy without the purgative influence of an effective Opposition does not seem able to induce the Labour Party to close its ranks. Two fundamental causes of cleavage exist : the " United Front " controversy and the arms question. Qualitatively, the Executive's insis- tence that the individual Socialist shall toe the line is robbing the movement of the effective support of some of its best brains : Sir Stafford Cripps, if sometimes an asset to the Gov- ernment in the country, is very much the reverse in the House. The controversy now rages round two issues : the Executive's refusal to endorse Mr. William Mellor's candidature, and the Left Wing's attempt to use the Executive's proposal that only constituency parties shall elect their representatives for it (instead of the trade unions also voting, as they now do), in order to introduce new blood at the expense of some of the Old Guard. The arms question is much wider in its ramifications ; for irrespective of the merits of the Party's decision not to oppose rearmament, there can be little doubt that its failure to exact from the Government a guarantee that British arms shall only be used for purposes of which the Party approves has damped the zeal of its most zealous members. And now there is talk of " disciplining " Mr. Lansbury for his pacifist attitude. The difficulties before the Labour Party are immense. Three things are clear. The Party can ill afford to lose the services either of Sir Stafford Cripps or of Mr. Lansbury. If it loses them both it makes itself impotent to face the next General Election. And in the meanwhile its recruiting campaign threatens to be a disastrous failure. -
Previous page
