€/84
FLEET STREET LETTER
72,FLEET STREET, LONDON, EC.4. PHONE: FLE 7571 CABLES: FLEETEST, LONDON, EC.4.
しゃぶ
4th April 1968 FSL 1070
89
HOME AFFAIRS
New Plot
Mr. Wilson reacted characteristically to Labour's disastrous by-election defeats last week. When sim- ilarly under pressure after his austerity moves in July, 1966, he hastily discovered a "plot" alleged to have been inspired by Mr. Callaghan. No one else ever found any real evidence for this supposed conspiracy.
And within a few house of last Thursday's by-election debacle, Mr. Wilson seemed equally determined to un- cover another plot - this time by friends of Mr. Jenkins. The Prime Minister's associates telephoned newspapers to enquire what their Lobby Correspondents were re- porting on the subject. They said they had heard of a "round robin", which some backbenchers were circula- ting, calling for Mr. Jenkins to replace Mr. Wilson.
The correspondents were reporting nothing of the kind, because no round robin had been hatched. In any case the day was Friday when most MPs had already quit Westminster. But the seed was sown and rumours started. It was not long before the anti-Jenkins fac- tions, which include left-wingers and many trade union MPs, were thoroughly alerted, rallying to Mr. Wilson and smearing Mr. Jenkins as Mr. Callaghan had been smeared in July, 1967.
Happily for the Chancellor he was in Stockholm at a "Group of Ten" meeting. To this extent he could not be blamed for anything his supporters were supposed to be doing. But Mr. Brown was absent in Brussels last December when the Prime Minister's supporters were busy blaming him for the South African arms deal. Indeed this kind of Wilson operation has provided Mr. Denis Healey with one of his favourite cocktail party quips: "He who is absent is wrong".
Shuffle
• Mr. Wilson's next move was to authorise Mr. Rich- ard Crossman to announce impending cabinet changes. There are few more effective ways of containing discon-- tented MPs than the hint they may soon get a place in the government. But Mr. Crossman's exercise out- raged ministers. In a disciplined cabinet it would be impossible for a relatively junior member - Mr. Cross- man is number six in order of precedent - to call upon the Prime Minister to sack some of his colleagues.
Mr. Crossman's performance only emphasised the excitable, unruly nature of this government and the ex- treme crisis it is in. It also underlined the privileged position of people, like Mr. Crossman, who are in Mr. Wilson's ruling "clique". This, of course, is the pre- cise charge which Mr. George Brown, among others, has levelled at the Prime Minister.
But it was not only Mr. Wilson who approved Mr. Crossman's speech in advance. Mrs. Barbara Castle did so too. She is currently enjoying a spell as one of the most influential Ministers, though some cabinet
AL
colleagues partly, perhaps, through jealousy - resent her ascendancy.
But Mrs. Castle has used her opportunities skilfully. As Transport Minister she has produced "socialist" legislation which has made her popular with the left. She has kept ostentatiously aloof from economic policies which have outraged the party. And she is still treated with considerable deference by the Prime Minister although she regards him as "weak".
-
Indeed, Many Labour MPs say that if Mrs. Castle did not suffer the undeniable political disadvantage of being a woman, she would have a better chance than Mr. Jenkins of succeeding Mr. Wilson.
Tuesday night's meeting on the government's com- pulsory wages curb between Mr. Jenkins and the 100 strong trade union group of MPs was extremely heated. Leading members of the group have since described the Chancellor in the vitriolic terms they normally reserve for Mr. Peter Shore, Economic Secretary. Some 30 members of the group are likely to abstain in the cru- cial vote on the issue. Since the Tories will vote ag- ainst, the government's majority could fall to 40-50 - but not enough to require its resignation.
Tory Tactics
The Tory Shadow Cabinet met early this week to consider opposition tactics in the light of the govern- ment's defeats in last week's by-elections. It agreed a series of directives to the Party.
Firstly the opposition should drop the tactics (main- ly used by Mr. Macleod) of singling out the Prime Min- ister as the main target. Mr. Wilson is discredited enough at the moment, the Tory leaders decided. There is a real danger that Labour may drop him and survive under Mr. Jenkins. From now on the Tories will delly- er their main attacks against the cabinet as a whole in an attempt to make the blame for failure stick collectively.
Secondly the Shadow Cabinet have advised Tory MPs not to try to force "artificial" points of conflict in the Commons. This, they argue, would lead to govern- ment victories in the division lobbies, thus emphasis- ing that it still has a majority of 74.
Thirdly Tory backbenchers have been warned not to expect the government to be defeated on the Prices and Incomes Bill. Though cabinet ministers confess they do not know whether they can get the Bill through, the Tory leaders are certain that Labour rebels will not force a government defeat on it.
Lastly the Shadow Cabinet decided that the Tories must produce a provisional election manifesto showing how they would meet current problems. They feel that public opinion will soon demand they say how they would cope with problems which have overwhelmed Labour.
WE
WORLD... Vietnam Peace?; Hong Kong; Nasser Speaks; Grechko's Tour; Rumania; Jordan; French Africa CITY.. Outlook; Gilts; Investment Trusts; Dunford & Elliott; Income Portfolio; Neville Group
EDITOR: WILFRED RYDER