GREAT BRITAIN: Election in May

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With only three hours advance notice, Sir Anthony Eden made his first broadcast to Britain as Prime Minister. It lasted two minutes, but it was news: "The Parliament elected in 1951 is now in its fourth year. It is therefore not surprising that, with a change of Prime Minister, there should be expectation of a general election. Uncertainty at home and abroad about the political future is bad for our influence in world affairs, bad for trade, and unsettling in many ways. I believe it is better to face this issue now." He set May 26 as the date for a general election.

On Eden's recommendation, Queen Elizabeth will dissolve the present Parliament on May 6. Before then, Chancellor Rab Butler will present Britain's 1955 budget, and the House of Commons will press through the necessary legislation to enable the government to carry on until the new Parliament meets on June 7.

Labor Party Leader Clement Attlee, visiting in Canada, learned of Eden's decision at a whistle stop in the Rockies. He and other Labor leaders darkly accused Eden of precipitant haste, but stoutly insisted that Labor is ready and eager. The present lineup in the House of Commons is Tories 322 seats, Labor 294, Liberals 6. The Tories are confident that they can increase their majority, for the nation is prosperous, and recent local elections have shown a mild swing toward the right. But the result is no foregone conclusion: not since 1832 has an incumbent British government increased its majority in a general election. The Tories are counting on the freshness of Anthony Eden's occupancy of 10 Downing Street and the divisions among their Socialist opponents to change all that.