The Week in Parliament
Our Parliamentary Correspondent writes : —It is generally agreed that a debate on Crete served a useful purpose. Mr. Lees-Smith put the questions which every man in the street instinctively feels, why were we so surprised-at the unexpected happening, where will it happen next, might it be tried here ? Mr. Hore-Belisha developed with considerable care the case that the capture of an island by air-borne attack for the first time in history is a portent. He stressed the importance of better cooperatio'n between the Army and Air, he strongly criticised the unofficial broadcasts made by General Collins and Air-Commodore Goddard, and pleaded for more vigour and imagination. Miss Rathbone made a notable maiden speech, in which these words appeared " I feel that the time for learning lessons is becoming rather short." Mr. Beverley Baxter and Captain Bellenger criticised the complexion of the Cabinet. Lord Winterton and Sir John Wardlaw-Milne both made solemn warnings on our present state of preparedness, and most speakers, especially Lord Winterton, demanded that Imperial strategy and possibly Imperial direction were now necessary. Captain Nicholson asked the Prime Minister to cut out the dead wood in the Cabinet.
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