The effects of the resignations will not be confined to
foreign affairs. In recent years some of the supporters of the National Government have invented a kind of Old School Tie political philosophy. According to them, a man is scarcely ever justified in breaking away from the team. Even if he has serious misgivings about the policy which is being pursued he must never separate himself from his colleagues or do anything to imperil national unity. One Member of Parliament, speaking at the Ipswich by- election, went so far as to declare that he would support the Government even if he thought it was wrong. But now, Mr. Eden, whose motives no one has ventured to impugn, has reverted to the traditional rule that a statesman must not take responsibility for a policy which he believes to be wrong. That makes clearly for honesty in politics.
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