§ 36. Mr. Manderasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider the advisability of introducing the necessary legislation to enable local elections to be held once more.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonThis matter is under consideration, but I am not yet in a position to make any statement.
§ Mr. ManderSeeing that consideration is being given to the question of holding local elections on the Continent, will the right hon. Gentleman see that we are not left behindhand, in view of the fact that all over this country, for five years, people have not had the opportunity of selecting their own council?
§ Mr. MorrisonI appreciate the hon. Member's point, but I am not sure that the circumstances on the Continent are exactly the same as they are in this country. In France, for example, they have no Parliament yet, whereas our Parliament has been running all the time.
§ Mr. George GriffithsAre preparations being made for local elections next April? The right hon. Gentleman might tell us that.
§ Mr. MorrisonI cannot say, but I am anxious that when local elections come they shall be conducted on a basis which is representative and will give representative results. It would be premature to make a statement at the present time, but I am not unsympathetic to the desire that local elections should be resumed.
§ Rear-Admiral BeamishIf legislation is introduced, will the right hon. Gentleman consider the abolition of the undemocratic system whereby aldermen do not have to present themselves to the electorate for election?
§ Mr. MorrisonI am a county alderman myself and I have great respect for the institution.
§ Mr. ThorneWhy not abolish aldermen altogether?