The non-Front Bench speakers were ineffective, and Mr. Long and
Mr. Balfour wordy and perfunctory. Mr. Balfour, indeed, as was plain enough from his own handling of the question when he was in office, has no real desire to do electoral justice to England, and merely supported Sir Henry Kimber in order to harass the Government. As it was, the amendment was rejected by 333 to 104,—a majority of 229. We trust that in spite of the very poor representation of a very strong case made in the House of Commons, the
House of Lords will refuse absolutely to pass the Plural Voting Bill unless it is accompanied by a just measure of redistribution. They have not only precedent ifi their favour for adopting such a course, but the knowledge that they will be supported in the country, for outside the House of Commons men are indignant that Ireland should have nearly forty Members more than her fair share, and London and the Home Counties nearly forty less.
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