Liberal Revival

The Liberals went all out. They picked as their candidate personable 36-year-old Mark Bonham-Carter. For three weeks the battle raged through the narrow lanes and market villages of North Devon--from Sheepwash to Zeal Monachorum, from Milton Damerel to Buckland Brewer, from Wrinkeberry to Woolfardisworthy to Frithelstock. The candidate's energetic mother, 70-year-old Lady Violet

Bonham Carter,* was on the stump at least three times a night drawing cheers with her assaults on "the muddled controls of the Labor Party and the uncontrolled muddle of the Tories" and harking back to the glorious days of Liberalism when her father, Lord Asquith, was Prime Minister (1908-16). Last week Bonham-Carter triumphantly topped the Tory candidate by a narrow 219 votes (with Labor a poor third) and became the new M.P. from Torrington. Mused a Devon farmer in corduroy breeches and leather leggings: "The Liberals may be no better'n no worse'n the others--but they might be better; can't tell till ee try, can ee?"

It was the first time in 29 years that the Liberals had gained a new seat in Parliament, and they talked happily of a resurgence of Liberalism. None but the most starry-eyed of Liberals thought there was any real possibility of taking power themselves. But on the basis of their strong showing in recent by-elections, they now pose a very real threat to the Tories. Liberal candidates seem to be taking 2 1/2 votes from the Tories for every one they have taken from Labor. Translated into a general election, such figures would not gain the Liberals many seats. But by drawing away Tory votes, they could lead to a Labor capture of 40-50 normally Tory seats.

But Prime Minister Harold Macmillan had no intention of being stampeded into a general election, was clearly counting on time to allow his policy of austerity to pay off. Said Macmillan calmly: "The great thing is to get the timing right--to have the downs between elections and the ups at the elections."

* Unlike her son, Lady Violet does not hyphenate her last name.

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