Tony's Baby

Those now on the outer — typified by Bartram, Allum and Salmon — see the arguments as being between the activists and Brunt backed by general membership. "The Values Party is regarded by Tony as his baby," says one ex-member, "and he resents any move which seems to challenge paternity." "Brunt started the Party," says another, "and now seems about to finish it. The truth was that the Party began to outgrow Brunt under the influence of its activists. Brunt put a stop to any further growth by ridding himself of challenge with the aid of his friends and the non activist membership."

For the moment Brunt seems safe, the Party skeletal, perhaps finished. It all seems a pity, for the Values Party hit upon one of the conflicts of the era: the lack of fit, as one writer has described it, between old theories and new sentiments. The Party's failure seems to have been the failure to recognise the fact that there is also a lack of fit between new sentiments and the institutions the old theories served. In turning away from the social action approach advocated by Allum and others and towards the electoral aspirations of Tony Brunt the general membership seems to have an approach that contradicts all the Party claimed to stand for.

Just Arrived From England!

The official engagement portrait of Princess Anne and her groom to be, Mark Philipps, by the Royal Artist: Tom Scott.