It was inevitable that the troubles of the electricity power
stations should set off a fresh burst of general election speculation. The political potential of this dispute is, indeed, fascinat- ing. Without subscribing to the view already being ex- pressed—that it will cost Labour the election—I cannot believe Mr. Wilson is anything but depressed by it. Mr. Claude Berridge, of the Amalgamated Engineering Union, is quoted as saying: 'I should have thought that Labour would be happy and rather proud to identify themselves with this struggle for justice.' It is possible, but singularly unlikely. I think most people will regard a persistent refusal to accept arbitration as an odd sort of struggle for justice: especially when the Electricity Council has shown, itself by no means close-fisted. In Which case Labour has nothing to gain, and all to lose, through being entangled in the affair. Mr. Wilson has devoted much energy, with no small success, to avoiding explosive issues on the political front. He must be horrified by this pre-election tactlessness over on the in- dustrial side.
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