On This Day

October 30, 1897

The Spectator comments on a speech by Sir Charles Dilke

Reviewing a speech by Sir Charles Dilke describing the state of the Liberal Party the Spectator comments, ‘What does Sir Charles Dilke say? Almost exactly what we have said again and again in these columns – namely that the Liberal Party has at present no more got a definite policy than a definite leader and that till it does get a definite and coherent policy it cannot hope to win. As Sir Charles Dilke put it, the policy of the existing leaders seems to be to wait like molluscs on the shore till the tide flows once more.’