21 OCTOBER 1966, Page 4

Anti-Party Manners

Every child, said Gilbert, shall Either be a Liberal Or a Conservative.

And that was how it used to be In eighteen-ninety-two or three, In ninety-four or five.

Today the young of vim and verve May think it more astute to serve The Labour interest, And some with high ambitions say The Socialists have come to stay And think them much the best.

But if we scan the Gallup poll All three, it seems, are on the whole

Each nastier than not

Though hustings cry, the floating vote Increasingly prefers to float And damn the bloody lot.

CHRISTOPYIELHOLLIS