A vote of confidence in Sir Herbert Samuel was passed at an emergency meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Liberal Federation held at the National Liberal Club last night. The meeting lasted for more than two hours, and the following official statement was issued at its close:
An emergency meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Liberal Federation was held in London this afternoon, Mr. Ramsay Muir, the chairman of the Federation, presiding over a large attendance of representatives from all parts of the country. Sir Donald Maclean, the Minister of Education, attended, and answered a number of questions. Before with drawing Sir Donald paid a tribute to the work of Sir Herbert Samuel, and at the close of the proceedings a vote of confidence in Sir Herbert Samuel and Sir Donald Maclean was proposed and adopted with one dissentient.
I understand that Sir Donald Maclean paid a high tribute to Sir Herbert Samuel’s leadership, the Political Correspondent of the “News Chronicle” says.
Sir Herbert himself was at the time at Churt with Sir Archibald Sinclair, discussing the situation and the election with Mr. Lloyd George. The interview was a long one.
Two Jewish members of Parliament, Major J. Brunel Cohen, son-in-law of the late Sir Stuart Samuel, former President of the Board of Jewish Deputies and the brother of Sir Herbert Samuel, and Sir Walter de Frece, both Conservatives, have decided not to offer themselves for re-election in the polling on October 27th.
Major Brunel Cohen, who lost both legs in the war, is Treasurer of the British Legion and he has represented the British ex-servicemen at many important ex-servicemen’s conferences and on official occasions both in England and abroad.
Among other members of Parliament who are not seeking re-election are Colonel Howard-Bury, who has been the outstanding advocate of the Palestine Arabs in the House of Commons, Sir Norman Angell, who played a prominent part in the negotiations between the Government and the Jewish Agency after the issue of the White Paper which led to the Prime Minister’s letter of authoritative interpretation and Sir Martin Conway, who has written extensively in support of the Jewish aspirations in Palestine.
Two Jews figure in the first announcement of a local “pact”, which has just been concluded at North Southwark, where Mr. Marcus Samuel, the prospective Conservative candidate, has withdrawn in favour of Mr. E. A. Strauss, the Liberal and “National” candidate. Mr. Strauss was the Liberal member for the division from 1918 to 1923, and after two subsequent defeats was returned at a by-election in 1927. At the last general election he was beaten by the Labour candidate by a small majority. Mr. Samuel, explaining his decision not to stand, stated, “I feel it is the only thing to do in the best interests of the country”.
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