British General Election

Archive Report

Conservative Bid for Renewed Support

Prime minister Harold Macmillan'g decision to ask British voters to give the Conservatives a new mandate on Oct. 8—more than seven months before an election would have been required by law1—demonstrates his confidence in the party's current standing with the people. Announcement of the election date on Sept. 8 caught Hugh Gaitskell and Aneurin Sevan, Labor Party leaders, in the midst of a sojourn in Moscow, but they hurried home to take command of the opposition's campaign preparations. The campaign proper will open after the present Parliament is dissolved on Sept. 18, barely three weeks in advance of the balloting.

A British government has the right to call a general election whenever its prospects at the polls seem favorable. Various events ...

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