NEWS OF THE WEEK
sOME idea having rather mysteriously grown up that someone or other wants a Coalition Government (possibly speeches by Mr. Harold Macmillan and Captain Peter Thorneycroft helped to start the kite flying), everyone who might be con- cerned, particularly Labour Ministers who might be concerned, is busy stamping life out of the idea. The latest is Mr. Herbert Morrison, in his speech at Edinburgh on Sunday. Two questions arise: Is a Coalition Government likely ; and is it to be desired ? The answer to both at the moment is in the negative. If the present emergency became appreciably more grave than it is a coalition administration might be needed both to reflect and to stimulate national unity. Uncongenial to the British temperament though such a Government is, the overmastering pressure of events would hold its disparate elements together. Even so there would be the grave disadvantage entailed by the absence of a responsible Opposi- tion and the inevitable emergence of irresponsible opposition from the Left of one party and the Right of the other. The whole cohesion of both parties indeed might be imperilled. It cannot be assumed that a time will not come when such a price has to be paid, but it has by no means come yet. To attempt a coalition before events imperatively demanded it would be to risk a breakdown which would doom a second attempt, when it did become necessary, to failure. Quite apart from all this is the fact that only one man is capable of rousing the country in the hour of need, and it is hard to believe that he would be accorded the post of Prime Minister in a House of Commons with Labour in a majority.
