SIR,—Such is the enthusiasm generated by Liberal campaigns that those
who intend to vote Liberal make sure that they do so. As tar as 1 could judge at Orpington on polling day—and this view is borne out by others who were there with me—the Lib- erals succeeded in getting virtually all their promises to the polling stations. I very much doubt if that was the experience of either the Conserva- tive or the Labour Party in their present state of division and low morale. This would account for the apparent inaccuracy of the forecast of voting intention very neatly.
Another factor that undoubtedly assisted Mr. Lubbock was that, as his prospects grew brighter, the quite disgraceful campaign by the Conservative candidate of denigration of the Liberal candidate and the Liberal Party was intensified and brought a reaction of disgust from the electors. Mr. Peter Goldman may well be the cleverest young' man in the Tory Party, but he hardly demonstrated this by maintaining an air of patronising contempt to- wards his formidable Liberal opponent.
However, Tories never learn and it is with more sorrow than surprise that one reads your quite deplorable leading article 'The New Men.' It could well have been written by Mr. Goldman or Mr. Macleod before Orpington, although I suspect that they would phrase it rather differently today. How many Orpingtons are required before you come to realise that an increasing number of people are protesting against the vicious inanity of a two- party system?
• IVOlt R. M. DAVIES (Prospective Liberal Candidate, Oxford City) 29 &Orton Road, Oxford
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