The Week in Parliament
Our Parliamentary Correspondent writes : We are nearer a political explosion than at any time since the war began. The House of Commons is thoroughly angry. At the time of writing the Prime Minister has not yet made his statement and of course it is always possible that he will placate some of his critics. But it is universally felt that he, and some of his col- leagues, have a good deal to explain. While almost everyone approves in principle the sending of an expeditionary force to Norway, there are general misgivings as regards its size, character and equipment. Several days, if not weeks, before the German invasion, the British Government learned that some- thing of the kind was a possibility. This is common knowledge, and Mr. Churchill admitted as much in his statement from the Treasury Bench. Why were no more adequate preparations made to meet contingencies which must surely have been within the contemplation of the Cabinet ? As I pointed out last week, Members of Parliament have shown the most exemplary for- bearance, and have made no attempt, as yet, to extract informa- tion from Ministers unwilling to give it. Nevertheless the House, like the public, has been able to form a fairly shrewd idea of what has been happening, and its tentative conclusions are definitely not favourable to the Government.
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