CO-OP PARTY MUCH STRONGER IN NEW PARLIAMENT based on Co-op News report
There will be 19 Co-operative M.P.s in the next House of Commons. In the General Election all but eight of the Co-operative Party's 27 candidates were elected, with three seats being captured from the Conservativese The 15 members standing again were all ‘returned and Bristol Central, previo= usly held by Labour, was retained by a Co-operative candidate and former M.P., Mr. Arthur Palmer. Seats captured were Birminzham Yardley, Newcastle East and Wythenshawe. Yardley was the closest contest, the seat being won by only 169 votes by Mr. Ioan Evans. His rival had previously a 1,385 majority. Mr. Geoffrey Rhodes turned a 98 majority by the opposition into a 1,644 lead in his favour. The swing in Wythenshawe was substantial, Mr. Alf Morris winning by 4,777 votes in a constituercy where the Tory majority had been 1,309.
The Co-operative party now has a higher number of M.P.s than at any time since 1955. They include such well-known left wingers as Bob Edwards, Bert Oram, John Rankin, Kon Ledger, Laurie Pavitt and Joyce Butler.