Ilandudno
I notice that Mr. lain Macleod will be depart- ing from precedent when, at the Llandudno Con- ference as Chairman of the Conservative Party, he replies to the debate on Conservative prin- ciples and party organisation. Usually the Chair- man sums up proceedings at the end, but this time his speech has been brought forward to Friday, and it is a safe bet that this is because Mr. Macleod has something to say that he regards as important and does not wish to leave to the Sunday papers. No doubt, the Conserva- tives can do with a pick-me-up from their Chair- man, though their situation seems to have im- proved a good deal since the Commonwealth Conference. A 4 per cent. swing in the latest Gallup poll towards membership of the Common Market just at the time when Mr. Gaitskell has come out against it should be encouraging to the Conservatives, despite the Labour Party lead in the same poll, since it would appear to show that to fight an election on this issue can only benefit them. Perhaps that is why opposition to Mr. Macmillan's European plans is relatively muted in the motions tabled for Llandudno, though many of them did contain reservations. One exception I noticed was from Folkestone and Hythc Conservative Association which puts for- ward the following unconstitutional doctrine: 'That this Conference considers that Her Majesty's Government has no mandate to con- clude an agreement to enter into the Common Market.' Talk about good neighbour policies!
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