Commander Fletcher also spoke well. He is another rising man
on the Labour back benches, but he will not do himself real justice until he learns to restrain his desire to raise a laugh from his own supporters at almost any cost. Carefully prepared jokes about Ministers who have suffered from chicken-pox may be good fun at a smoking-concert on a Saturday evening, but they fall very flat in the early stages of a serious debate in the House of Commons. They were particularly to be regretted on this occasion, for they spoiled the effect of some interesting arguments —notably that the Air Minister ought to be in the House of Commons. Members of all parties feel strongly on this point. They argue that there is clear evidence that the Air Ministry has not been able to fulfil its programme at the advertised date, and that the House cannot sufficiently keep the situation under proper review if the responsible Minister is in the House of Lords.
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