LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
A Member's Allegiance
SIR—Professor D. W. Brogan, in his article The New Pocket Boroughs. builds up his case on an inifial misconception. He speaks of the Railway Review as" the official organ of the National Union of Rail- waymen." It is,' of course, no such thing, and the subsequent case built on this assertion therefore calls for no demolition.
He quotes from the article in the Railway Review, however, as follows: "To whom do Members of Parliament owe their first allegiance; to those who enabled them to get into the House of Commons, or to the leadership of the Labour Party whose policy has been opposed ? I believe a Member's first allegiance is to those who enabled him to get into the House of Commons, but I understand that to mean my constituents who elected me, and my vote was given as a reflex of the best assessment of their desires at which I was able to arrive.
Regarding myself, and Professor Brogan's concern as to whether I take my orders from the N.U.R., may I inform him that, in fourteen years in Parliament, on no single occasion has the N.U.R. ever inti- mated in any way how they thought a vote of mine ought to be cast.
or on any occasion have they commented on any vote which I have cast.
Perhaps the foregoing may place in its right perspective the mon- strous itnd untrue suggestions conveyed in Professor Brogan's article. I would not have troubled to write if I were not very jealous of the rights and privileges of Parliament, and the duties devolving upon its
House of Commons. M.P., Perry Barr,
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