26 NOVEMBER 1965, Page 9

Northampton before . . .

There is a curious story behind the local- government election for all the seats on the Northampton council. A story of an interfering Member of Parliament and a culpably weak Home Secretary, Sir Frank Soskice. Still, the voting itself will be of more importance than the history. Before Tuesday's elections, the Labour party held a narrow majority of two seats. If the public opinion polls are even remotely accurate, they are bound to indicate an over- whelming Labour victory. Fortified by a visit to Northampton, I announce in advance (polling is going on as I write) that the polls are baloney. Moreover, I believe the Tories will actually win. I think they may get up to twenty-one of the thirty-six seats. We will see.