MP. for East Bristol, to secure a reversal of his expulsion from the Labour Party, by the annual conference of the latter, must give rise to much speculation as to the political future of this very brilliant man. Sir Stafford advocated the formation of a Popular Front, and circularized a memorandum to affiliated organizations urging their support. His proposals did not have the support of a majority of the National Executive, and because he had done what he did that body expelled him. His appeal to the annual conference failed by the enormous majority of 2,100,000 to 402,000 votes, and so far as the Labour Party is concerned he has been thrown into outer darkness. The question which now remains to- be answered is what his constituency will think of the matter, He appears to be safe enough until the next general election, but it then remains to be seen whether -those who cast their suffrages in his favour before will follow the man or obey the dictates of the party. If discipline within the Labour party is as strong as the vote at the annual conference suggests it is, the probability of his being able to hold his seat may be considered as somewhat remote, for if the number of constituents who would support him are in the same ratio as the vote on his appeal, he would receive only about 5,000 votes as against the 22,000 cast for him at the last general election. The personal factor might- somewhat enlarge that figure, but when it is remembered that his opponent, Major A. G. Church, National Labour, polled 15,156 votes, it is apparent that in a constituency so decidedly Labour the fiat of the Party is likely to prevail against him. Whether it would be possible.for him to find a seat elsewhere as an independent candidate is something which has yet to be discovered, but if Sir Stafford is found in the future more actively engaged in the Courts again than in Parliament no one need be greatly surprised.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.