Rebuilding Britain: A Survey of Problems of Reconstruction After the World WarHopkinson, Alfred, Sir
History
Rebuilding Britain: A Survey of Problems of Reconstruction After the World War
Hopkinson, Alfred, Sir
Reconstruction (1914-1939) -- Great Britain
(3) The accounts of the party associations ought to be published. It may
be right for well-to-do people who feel keenly on political questions to
contribute to help party organisation, to aid in providing the money
necessary to enable promising men, who have not the means for paying
their own election expenses, to contest a seat and to enter Parliament.
There is nothing derogatory to a candidate in accepting assistance of
the kind. Many men who were unable to fight an election without it,
would prefer to have it openly stated that they had received such
assistance. Why should a young man whom a poor constituency would like
to adopt, and who can only afford, say, L100 towards the cost of
contesting a seat, object to his constituents knowing that the balance
had been found from funds provided by others who wish well to the cause
he is advocating? If the system is wrong, let it be abolished; if right,
why try to preserve secrecy?
(4) No one should be allowed to contribute to party funds who has
received a peerage or other "honour" within a given period, and if
anyone has contributed to such funds before receiving an honour the
amount paid should be publicly announced. Everyone has heard, and anyone
acquainted with what goes on could give instances, of cases where a
contribution has been asked from those whose services to the community
are supposed to be recognised by some title of honour.
A change is needed in the method of selecting candidates. Two examples
will illustrate the kind of thing that takes place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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