The New Men Sir Frank Medlicott, Geoffrey Acland, Ivor R.
M. Davies, R. G. Farleigh, John Thompson The Two Cultures Lord Boothby, Robert Conquest,. Dr. J. H. Plumb, Loyal Dickson, Robert Harvey The Orpington Poll • R. M. Shields.
• Henry Durant and William Gregory Lady Chatterley's Lover The Warden of All Souls, Melvin J. Lasky THE NEW MEN your leading article under the above head- ing last week you describe the forces which won Orpington as an 'aimless, all-purpose wish-fulfil- ment machine,' as 'a temporary nuisance in our political life' and as 'a most unwelcome intruder into our politics,' ending by picturing the Liberal Party as a vulture eating off the helpless body of the Labour Party. Extravagant language this, and in so far as it is an attack on the Liberal Party as such, Jo Grimond and his friends are well able to look after them- selves. I would however express concern—and sur- prise—that the Spectator should apparently side with those who regard political life in this country as the exclusive preserve of the Conservative and Labour Parties. You would apparently give short shrift to anyone not willing to toe either the ConservAve or the Labour Party line—these two parties are urged to 'digest and render harmless' this new radicalism before it becomes too dangerous.
In this country we think little of those regimes where the elector has only one party to vote for. Your article in effect advocates that the elector should not have more than two parties to vote for. What if an increasing number of people wish for a change of Government but find the policies of the OPposition unacceptable? Your leader implies that they must be given no right to put forward an alternative Opposition. They must either go on voting for a Government in which they have lost faith or vote for an Opposition in which they have no confidence.
It is disturbing to find the Spectator of all papers writing in such intemperate language because an increasing number of people feel that after two Parties have monopolised the government of the Country for forty years the electorate is entitled to the opportunity of voting for an alternative.
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