17 MAY 1930, Page 3

The Liberals and Electoral Reform We have already mentioned the

rumours that Mr. Lloyd George had promised Liberal support to the Government. M exchange for the Alternative Vote. The Manchester Guardian has recently, published letters from correspondents who evidently thought that the rumours were true, and they were duly indignant at what they, believed to be the scrapping of the Liberal policy of Proportional Representation. Last Saturday, however, the London correspondent of the Manchester Guardian said that the rumours are not true, and that the Alter- native Vote is no more acceptable to Mr. Lloyd George than to his followers. The difficulty about electoral reform therefore remains, for the Government, in their present mood, are not prepared to grant Proportional Representation.