The Week in Parliament Our Parliamentary correspondent writes : —When
Mem- bers reassembled on the 24th those who had predicted that a crisis would occur before the end of the month, and that Par- liament would have to be summoned, were naturally inclined to congratulate themselves on their prescience, but all party prejudices were put aside, and no one appeared anxious to make capital out of the position. Mr. Bevan alone was obstreperous on the Labour benches on Thursday, and Mr. Gallacher could not forbear on both occasions, aggravated no doubt by the German-Soviet Pact, from putting his isolated Communist view. Mr. Maxton raised the Inde- pendent Labour Party standard and forced a division, though this only emphasised the opinion of the House as a whole. Everyone remarked how different the feeling was compared with a year ago. Indeed, at times, the debate might have been an ordinary Parliamentary occasion. But the appeals for national unity, and the mere fact that both Opposition leaders, in their carefully-prepared speeches, underpinned the policy of the Government, had the effect, for which the recall of Parliament was chiefly desirable, of reaffirming the nation's desire to stand up to Germany.
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