Sir Stafford Cripps' campaign for a Popular Front con- tinues
to agitate the Labour Party ; on Monday it was re- ported that the Labour Party was to be " purged " of his followers, but not even the Labour Executive is likely to take so suicidal a step. Sir Stafford's campaign, which is having considerable success, has thrown into relief the con- fusion which prevails in the councils of the Party ; it is for this reason perhaps that its leaders condemn him so strongly. In the Daily Herald this week, the Popular Front is attacked by Mr. Attlee both because, by including the Communists, it would scare away thousands of voters who have no desire for revolution and because, by including the Liberals, it would compel the Labour Party to prosecute " a social reform programme within the restrictions of capitalism." If this means what it says, there seems no reason why Labour should not unite with the Communists ; if it does not, why Labour should not unite with the Liberals. This second course appears to recommend itself to an increasing number of Labour supporters ; and the Executive may finally turn from prohibiting the Popular Front to the more fruitful line of permitting electoral agree- ments between Liberalism and Labour in constituencies where conditions are especially favourable. Meanwhile divided counsels are likely, as the Holderness result suggests, to prevent Labour from even benefiting appreciably by the normal swing of the pendulum.
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