Evening star., 1962-09-30
LabOrifes Aim
At.ShOWdOWn
For Election
By TOM OCHILTREE
Associated Press staff Writer

BRIGHTON, England, Sept.
20. - Britain's Labor Party
opens its annual convention
here next week in the strong
position Of being able to force
Prime Minister Macmillan to
call a national election.
The battle raging over the
Common Market has set up
the issue.
b Labor Party Leader Hugh
Gaitskell could force a show
down with the Conservative
government by coming out
fatty against Britain's entry
into the six-nation European
trading bloc.
Ordinarily the timing Of an
election Is the big trump in
the Prime Minister'S hand. But
Macmillan is on a spot.
Facing Dilemma
Yet Mr.. Gaitskell himself is
confronted with a dilemma
whether to make Labor's bid
for power now or bide his time.
The Conservative govern
ment's term does not expire
until October 1964-but under
the British system the prime
minister can call an election
at any time by simply resigning
with his government.
The showdown would come
If the opposition announces a !
future Labor government would
not consider itself bound by the
arrangements Mr.. Macmillan
now is contemplating for link
ing Britain with the Common
Market.
This would leave Macmillan
no alternative but to fight an
election now or see his plans
go down in ruin. For only by
winning at the polls on this
issue could Mr.. Macmillan then
assure the Common Market
countries there was any point
in going ahead with the Brus-
sells negotiations on Britain's
membership application.
Hopes for Solution
Mr.. Macmillan himself clearly
hopes to have enough time to
get Britain safely into the
Common Market before risking
an election.
Mr.. Gaitskell has criticized
the arrangements negotiated
thus far for Britain joining the
European trade and political
group. His recent speeches have
taken a strong anti Common
Market tone.
But several factors have kept
him cautious thus lar.
If he forced an election he
probably would provoke a re-
volt in his own Socialist Party.
This time some Of his old
friends and associates-men
like Anthony Crosland and Roy
Jenkins-would break loose.
They are strongly in favor of
the Common Market and say
they have the support Of 80 Of
the 258 Laborite members Of
the House of Commons. |
Ironically. Mr.. Gatiskell's old
enemies within the party-the
leftwingers clustered around
Michael Foot-are the loudest
in urging him to bring the roof
down around Mr.. Macmillan's
ears.
Difficult Decision
Even in the Labor Party
this situation is unique" one
political source said. "It can
hardly make Hugh feel easy in
his mind to see his friends
grimly forming up against him
and his enemies patting him
on the back"
Mr.. Gaitskell also knows he
would strain the fabric of the
British governmental system
If he denounced now any treaty
on the Common Market which
Macmillan'S government might
enter.
The British system functions
on the theory that treaties ap-
proved by one cabinet are on-
served by subsequent ones.
Otherwise it would be impossi-
bic to maintain a continuity of
foreign policy and the relia-
bility Of Britain's pledged word,
the political source said.
There is a suspicion that be-
hind his Hamlet-like pose, Mr..
GaitSkell Is secretly in favor of
the Common Market link.