Maxwell Fyfe, who was a prominent British Conservative politician and served as Home Secretary, opposed Sydney Silverman's bill to abolish capital punishment in the UK for several reasons rooted in both political and societal concerns:

1. Public Opinion and Deterrence: During the period when the bill was proposed, there was considerable public belief that capital punishment served as a significant deterrent against serious crimes, such as murder. Fyfe and others who opposed the bill often argued that abolishing capital punishment might lead to an increase in such crimes, reflecting the general apprehension of the public at that time.

2. Legal and Judicial System Concerns: Fyfe, being a barrister himself, had strong views about justice and the legal system. He was concerned with maintaining law and order and believed that the ultimate penalty was sometimes necessary to uphold this.

3. Political Climate: In the political climate of post-war Britain, there was substantial support for capital punishment within the Conservative Party. Fyfe, aligning with his party's views, likely saw his opposition as a way to maintain party unity and to reflect the party's tough stance on crime during a period when the country was recovering from the instability of World War II.

4. Incremental Change vs. Abrupt Abolition: Some politicians of the time, including Fyfe, felt that any changes to the law regarding capital punishment should be gradual. They preferred evaluating cases individually rather than implementing a sweeping legislative change that would completely abolish the penalty.

If you'd like further details or specific quotes from parliamentary debates or other historical documents, please let me know!