Problems and Prospects of the British Labor Party

IT IS BOTH TRITE AND TRUE to say that triumph is a more searching trial of character than is adversity or defeat. So it has proved with the British Labor Party. After twice having held office as a minority party in the House of Commons (1924 and 1929), the Labor Party in 1945 took office again, but as the largest party in the House. For the duration of one Parliament it was in a position to impose its will not only upon Parliament but upon the country. The first two (minority) ministries ended ignominiously; the third (majority) ministry ended normally after virtually the full life of a Parliament and a short aftermath of approximately one year with a greatly reduced majority. But whereas the two short periods of office, while they robbed the party of some repute, left the party united, with unimpaired morale, able to claim that much-of its ill success had been caused by its position as a governing party with responsibility but no true power, the longer period of responsibility with power left the party split by faction and uncertain about its future policy. After a further five years that is how it still remains.