One would not trouble about these assertions if past ex-
perience had not shown how readily the present Government majority welcomes comforting assurances from men who have been proved false time and time again. More will surely be heard of the officially-inspired statement on returning confidence, which appeared in the Press only four days before Prague fell, and of Sir Samuel Hoare's Golden Age speech. Members naturally ask whether the information that the Government receives is inaccurate or deliberately ignored. There is no doubt about the personal hold of the Prime Minister on his followers, but increasing criticism is directed against the two ex-Foreign Secretaries who are members of the Inner Cabinet. Even if Collective Defence is now to be our policy, how, it is asked, can men who have done so much to destroy that system be expected to work wholeheartedly for its revival ? The sudden affection shown for the U.S.S.R. is almost Gilbertian. Liberals, Socialists and the few Tories who have advocated Anglo-Soviet friend- ship for many years question its sincerity. Co-operation with Russia is not popular policy on the Tory benches.
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