"Right, Matthews, out you come." "What for?" "Out you come." "Chaplain wants to see you." "Mr Taylor not here?" "No, he's not back from chapel yet." "Right, get in there, Matthews, and wait." "You can face that wall there." "You wouldn't be thinking of doing anything funny on your last day, would you, Matthews?" "No, sir." "Just keep your eyes pinned to that wall." "And keep this door wide open." "You off out tomorrow, then?" "Yeah." "How long have you got to do?" "Three weeks." "It'll soon pass, man." "How long have you done?" "Two and a half year." "You?" "90 days." "Have you?" "Better pin your eyes back to that wall before the screws have you." "What are you gawping at?" "Here." "Give us a quick flash." "Go on, quick flash, before they come back." "Behave yourself." "Oh, go on." "One quick flash, it won't take you a second." "Hey?" "What about the door?" "Oh, get near the fireplace, they'll not see you there." "Go on, I only want a look." "Go on, I'll do the same for you sometime." "Go on, sharp!" "(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)" "Quick, you're going to have to put them away, there's somebody coming." "All right, sir?" "Yes, thank you, Mr Keesby." "Morning, Matthews." "I usually make it a practice of seeing all prisoners up for release, Matthews." "See if I can help them with a job or a place to live." "Hang these up, would you, Mary, please?" "Mind you, with such a lot of... so many people out of work these days, it's becoming increasingly difficult." "Thank you, Mary." "Yes, sir, thank you, sir." "Sit down, Matthews." "Now, have you decided what you're going to do when you leave here?" "Yes." "You sound very positive." "I'm still not getting through to you, am I, Matthews?" "I'm listening." "The Chief tells me you've been talking politics with the other prisoners." "Not that there's anything wrong with it, mind you," "I think it's very good and healthy that an inmate should have an interest in politics, art, literature, any other kind of intellectual subject." "Why, it's very stimulating." "Makes a change." "Providing, of course, that you're in a position to evaluate the issues correctly." "Because the situation is perhaps more complicated than you imagine." "A society may look chaotic sometimes, even insane," "I know it does to me." "But there is, somewhere, deep at the very heart of things, a sense of justice and order." "You take this watch of mine, for example." "Twelve years I've had this timepiece." "It didn't cost much." "But providing I respect it and look after it, it keeps perfect time." "All I have to do is to wind it up and it takes care of itself." "Now, look." "You see how each wheel and spring has its own particular duty and function to perform." "Everything working together in total harmony and integration." "How and why, I don't know." "But the point is it works." "And it's the same with society." "Like this watch, the world is a very complex piece of machinery." "And many of the problems we encounter in life appear incomprehensible." "Yet, like this watch, somebody put this world of ours together, there was a plan." "A grand design." "A divine mechanism at work." "And just as it would be silly and arrogant of me to tamper with this timepiece, so also it would be wrong, sinful for any of us to try to change the world outside of the prearranged order of things." "Man's real problem is to find his own personal place within this grand design and always to seek the divine intention behind everything." "Yeah, well, what if things aren't right?" "What if wrong people are telling us what to do and what not to do?" "In that case, God gives us the free will to change things." "Not the license to destroy, mind you." "But the right to restructure society along more equitable lines." "How?" "Through the ballot box." "By working within the prearranged mechanism." "You understand?" "Do you mind if I have a look at that?" "Not at all." "So what you're saying is that the world's like this watch." "Yes, if one can visualise society along these lines." "With its laws and rules and institutions." "But moving, nevertheless, with a definite rhythm and to a very definite purpose." "It's got a nice soft tick to it, though." "(CRASHING)" "Sorry about that." "You did that purpose." "You deliberately dropped it." "No, but if all these wheels and springs are all set and we're not allowed to touch them, perhaps the only thing to do is just scrap the lot, start all over again." "(HORN TOOTS)" "Hello." "Hello." "Thank you." "Hello." "(ALL TALKING, INDISTINCT)" "We'll be on the train all the way to London." "Yes, sir." "But hopefully it won't be too bad." "All right, children, come along." "Sorry to keep you waiting." "(ALL TALKING AT ONCE)" "Can I take your bag?" "Yes, please do." "Hello, Vi." "How are you?" "I'm very well, thank you." "Have a cup of tea, you look starved." "Thanks very much." "Lovely." "Thanks." "(PEOPLE CLAPPING)" "Thanks ever so much." "Thank you very, very much." "Thank you." "They were freshly picked from Wally's garden this morning." "Thank you, thank you." "Cheers, love." "Thanks." "That's smashing." "Well, Phil, wish you the best of luck." "And when you get there, remember who sent you." "I will, Jack." "I hope I can live up to your expectations." "Nah, he won't let us down, Jack, I know that." "We've waited for a long, good time for this day." "We have, a very long time." "All I want to say is when you get down there, don't fail to make sure that you follow the policies that put you there." "Yes, it's what we've lived for." "I know in all my lifetime, I've always felt that someday..." "I'm not looking for a utopia just because we've got a Labour government." "No, this takes time." "It will take time." "We wondered if you would have a few words before you go?" "Yes, yes, I had better." "Yes, that's a good idea." "It is a good idea." "More tea, Philip?" "No, thank you." "Oh." "Thanks very much, thanks." "Uh, everyone, I'd just like to say a final thank you to each and every one of you who put such hard work into this campaign." "Men like Jack Glover, who year in and year out has helped keep the flag of Labour flying in these parts." "Let us not forget that we are here celebrating today because he was there, taking the knocks and the blows." "Hear, hear." "Yeah." "And now we've made it." "At last, we've made it." "It's been a long haul, but we've made it." "The election of a Labour government means that at last, people who have made money out of other people's poverty, out of social injustice in general, are at last going to get their comeuppance." "And that we now have planted our feet firmly on the road to socialism." "Hear, hear!" "Yeah." "CHILD:" "Squirrels." "SARAH:" "Squirrels." "SARAH:" "Where do squirrels live?" "In the tree." "Down in the hole." "Down in the mole." "Down in the mole?" "GIRL:" "In the olden days, I know what they used for brushes." "SARAH:" "What did they use?" "GIRL:" "Um..." "SARAH:" "Badgers?" "BOY:" "Badgers?" "Where are you going?" "Going to have a look over there?" "Careful, Peter." "Oops." "Okay, Jane?" "Careful of the door." "(DOOR CLOSES)" "Forgive me for intruding, I saw you on the platform just now." "I felt I had to come and congratulate you." "I'm Chris Harrington." "Oh, how do you do?" "This is my wife Sarah." "CHRIS:" "How do you do?" "How do you do?" "Mr Harrington's Conservative Member of our neighbouring constituency." "CHRIS:" "Do you mind if I sit down?" "Please." "Please do." "SARAH:" "No, no." "Oh, perhaps I can offer you a cigarette?" "Have one of mine." "Oh, thank you very much." "Thank you." "SARAH:" "Could I have one, Phil?" "I've got a match here somewhere." "Thank you." "Are you planning to speak early in the house, Mr Hargreaves?" "Not particularly." "I shall open my mouth when I have something to say." "What a very good rule." "I suppose the country will soon settle down to a Labour government." "You'd be truly amused, Mrs Hargreaves, if you could read some of the letters from my constituents, begging me to think of some scheme to keep the socialists out." "Oh, there'll be bloody revolution." "We'll all be murdered in our beds." "One dear old lady is quite convinced that your husband and his colleagues want to introduce free love and abolish marriage." "Well, now that I've met you and your delightful family, perhaps I can set her mind at rest on that score." "You know, we have far more dotty extremists on our side than you have on yours, I assure you." "What do you do with them?" "Oh, we keep them safely in the shires, lock 'em up on various pointless committees." "What do you do with yours?" "PHILIP:" "We haven't really got any." "We have the Communist Party instead." "Do I take it then, that the Communists won't be officially joining you?" "Well, that's a matter for conference." "They'll no doubt be standing again this year." "Many of them are fine socialists." "It's an argument about means, not ends." "Unlike our argument with your people." "I wonder." "You're in office now." "Very different from opposition." "Presumably you believe in Parliament, Mr Hargreaves, or you wouldn't have worked so hard to get there." "What happens now in the docks dispute?" "Will your Mr Bevin have a strike?" "The agitators are calling for one." "Or what about his authority over the men if he doesn't?" "It might jeopardise the future of his union." "Yes, well, this is all a matter for our Executive, but I will say that anyone who questions" "Mr Bevin's authority had better watch out." "He's a big man." "He is indeed." "An outstanding man." "I think you can be sure, Mr Harrington, the dockers' claim will be settled at the expense of the employers." "If it isn't, Mr Hargreaves, this is my point, if it isn't settled, well, what about the authority of Parliament then?" "What does the government do?" "Does it take the strikers' side?" "Stand by and refuse to govern?" "Allow the trade of the country to be paralysed?" "Or does it intervene and use its authority against the workers, if necessary?" "It won't come to that." "You forget we're dealing with our own people now." "Things will be different from now on." "Perhaps you're right." "I hope you are." "Well, thank you, Mr Hargreaves, for a most interesting discussion." "Mrs Hargreaves." "It's been a privilege to meet you both." "And may I give you my good wishes for your new career." "PHILIP:" "Thank you." "You know, it's very exciting to enter the House for the first time." "You've probably got chaps on your side showing you the ropes, but if I can be of any help, don't hesitate to ask." "Goodbye." "PHILIP:" "Goodbye." "Smarmy bugger." "(HORSES CLOPPING BY)" "Excuse me, mate." "Do you know where Walnut Tree Walk is, please?" "Holy Tree Walk?" "Walnut Tree Walk." "Walnut Tree Walk." "Yeah." "Yeah, let me see, there." "It's, uh..." "third on the left?" "Second on the left." "Second on the left, third on the right." "Third on the right." "Yeah." "And it's on your right." "That's Walnut Tree Walk." "Right." "Ta." "SARAH:" "Ben!" "I'll come up." "Hey up!" "Are you coming up?" "Right, okay." "Yeah." "Hello." "Are you Jane?" "Do you know me?" "Are you Peter?" "You don't know who I am, do you?" "Hello, love." "Hello, how you doing?" "Good to see you." "Yeah, good to see you." "Come on." "This is your Uncle Ben." "Come here." "That's Peter." "How you doing?" "Eh?" "You're Peter, and you're Jane." "And that's Jane." "Oh, you do look thin, love." "Come in." "You think so?" "You look shocking." "Come on." "Right." "There you are." ""Jane..." How old are you?" "Nearly five." ""Five."" "Hey?" "Nearly five." "Nearly five?" "All right." "You're a big lass." "I never thought you'd be so big." "It's cheating with your boots on, you know." "Who's the artist, then?" "Me." "Are you?" "Let's have a look at them." "Whose are these?" "Mine." "Hey?" "But who are they?" "That's Mummy, that's Daddy, that's me and that's Peter." "Are they?" "SARAH:" "Ben?" "What?" "Phil says that the fellow that you've got to see down the docks is a fellow called Ernie Walsh." "Great." "And that he's expecting you." "Great, Ernie Walsh." "I'll go down in t'morning." "Can I nick one of your Woodies?" "SARAH:" "You haven't changed, have you?" "(LAUGHS)" "Mind you, if Phil does get us that job down the docks, we ought to have a bit of a sort-out, really." "What are you talking about?" "Well, how would you and Phil feel about having a Communist in the house?" "Communist?" "You?" "Yeah." "Jesus." "I thought that's what you'd say." "No, I don't mean that." "I mean, I'm just surprised to find you're even interested in politics." "Mmm, there's a lot happened since you saw us last time, kid." "I'll bet there has." "It's just, you know, I don't want me and Phil to be at loggerheads all the time." "I just think we ought to get it sorted out." "I mean, if I become a member of the party, what's he going to think?" "That's what I'm asking you." "Phil won't mind." "Make no difference to either of us." "Well, I just thought him being an MP and tied up with the unions and all, you know." "No." "It's been many a night we've had Harry Pollitt in here till two or three in the morning." "Pollitt, have you?" "Aye, it's been like an Irish parlour at noon, many a time." "Oh, well, it's no problem, then." "Jane, are you going to come and drink this tea?" "JANE:" "Don't feel like it." "Well, you did say you wanted some." "Didn't you?" "Well, come on, come and have it." "I don't know." "Well, what's made you start thinking like this, then?" "Well, the war and army and that strike up in Durham, you know, etcetera, etcetera." "And I suppose prison just about put top hat on it, didn't it?" "Well, it brought everything together, tied it all up in a knot." "I met some fellows in there and all who really had their heads screwed on." "You know, knew what were going on." "Have you really thought about it?" "It's a lot of hard work, you know, when you join the Communist Party." "It's not..." "I've had three years in jail to think about it, Sarah." "Aye, I suppose you have." "Have you actually joined yet?" "No." "I will do as soon as I know where the branch meets." "I don't know what our dad would have said if he'd heard you'd joined the Communist Party." "He'd have turned in his grave." "I know." "He always said you were the one who took after him." "(CHUCKLES) Well." "MAN:" "Not only was Lenin the accepted leader of the Bolshevik party, philosophically speaking, he was Bolshevism." "But without him there wouldn't have been any revolution." "Of course, the capitalist class and their representatives, they gloat and rub their hands at the news of his death." "And well-kept yard dogs like Winston Churchill, who compares with Lenin like a vulture to an eagle, him and his cronies can suss about all he wants around the farmyard, smoking their big fat cigars and clapping one another on the back." "They think with Lenin out of the way that this affords them some reason to sleep at night." "They think that the October Revolution was caused by just a handful of conspirators." "They ignore the question of the class forces in society." "They put Lenin down as some kind of a conjurer, who plucked revolution out of a hat." "But of course, we know differently." "Comrade Lenin is dead." "But the programme, the Marxist programme lives." "And there's no better way that we can pay respect to Lenin, but by seeing that this work goes on." "Now, our attitude to the Labour Party." "Well, really, this is quite simple." "But, as this is a new branch," "I want this to sink in." "Because you'll be coming to grips with the local bureaucrats very shortly." "We support the Labour Party as a rope supports a hanged man." "I mean we work within the party, but we work to expose the leadership." "And any time they commit any action that we consider is detrimental to the working class, then we jump on them and we jump on them hard." "In other words, under no circumstances, at no time, should we hide the real face from the masses." "And I see a few new members here tonight, and for their benefit, I'd like to say this." "That to be a good Communist is not easy." "Revolutionary politics are minority politics." "From the moment that you open your eyes in the morning, your first thought must be for the Party, what task can you do that day and how best can you tackle it." "You must learn to preach Communism 24 hours a day." "Learn to operate in a hostile environment, with all the class forces pressing down on you." "You put your clock ahead by tomorrow's time, so that you can keep one step ahead." "But above all, you become proud of the Party." "You defend it on all occasions and at all times." "Your own aches and pains, they're secondary." "Your first loyalty is to the Party, to its politics and its leadership." "There's no glamour." "It's just hard day-to-day work, door-knocking, and that's the trouble, comrades." "I think that's about all, Comrade Chairman." "(ALL TALKING, INDISTINCT)" "They're dockers, aren't they?" "Gang on the docks." "Are they the shop stewards?" "Do they have any authority from us?" "Apparently not." "Matthews, Riley." "Riley, he's the troublemaker." "Troublemaker?" "Six?" "You two have let a bunch of ragged-arse Communists stop the London docks?" "They'll be back tomorrow." "Back tomorrow, they'd better be bloody back tomorrow." "They publicly discredit the union." "And I don't want no more nonsense from either of you." "The car's here, Mr Bevin, we'd better go." "I'll see you two in my office on Saturday morning." "(INDISTINCT)" "You've got a meeting in the House of Commons on Friday, haven't you?" "Yes, with Purcell and Bromley." "Why?" "Could you attend a meeting at Liverpool on Saturday afternoon with Sexton?" "Yes, of course." "What time does it start?" "12 noon." "Try clipping the wings of the Communist Party." "Because they know as well as what we do that this strike will only last eight to 10 days." "And then it'll be back round the table." "And any compromise on our part and they'll steal the ground from under us." "Brother Chairman and brothers." "Let me say it once, immediately, without any reservation whatsoever, that if the port employers do not meet our legitimate demands for a two shilling a day increase" "and also a guaranteed working week, that this union will strike as and from February the 16th." "(CROWD CHEERING)" "But let us make no bones about it, brothers." "Whereas we know that the trades union does have a special relationship with the Labour government." "Now, we are prepared to bend over backwards so as not to embarrass them in any way, so as not to make their task any more difficult than it already is." "We are not prepared to allow the employers to ride roughshod over the living conditions of working people." "(CROWD APPLAUDING)" "Of course, we hope it won't come to that." "Specially as now that we are aware of the deep and heartfelt concern in Tory circles concerning the advent of a Labour government." "We must, as it were, hold the fort until we can obtain a big enough majority to carry through a socialist programme, which will transform society along more equitable lines." "Hear, hear!" "(CROWD APPLAUDING)" "One thing we cannot afford." "One thing we cannot tolerate in the coming struggle, and it is absolutely vital that we understand this, is any division within our ranks." "Let there not be any political adventurism by sectarian groups, whose actions, despite their sincerity and personal integrity, can only serve to weaken our cause." "Thank you, brothers, see you on February the 16th." "(CHEERING)" "HOST:" "Thank you, thank you." "Thank you, brother Hargreaves, for those enlightening and may I say encouraging remarks." "I'm quite sure our brothers here at the meeting will forgive you," "I know you've got a train to catch at Lime Street for London." "Thank you." "And now, gentlemen, brothers, the meeting will be addressed by the senior shop steward from the Queens, Coburg and South End Docks." "Thank you." "(ALL TALKING AT ONCE)" "Ta." "See you soon." "Excuse me, Mr Hargreaves," "I wonder if I could have a few words with you?" "What's it about, exactly?" "Well I'm from the Empire News," "I'd like a few words." "I'm writing a series of articles on the newly appointed MPs." "Ah." "Well, I'm afraid I haven't got a lot of time." "Well, I've got half an hour, will that be all right?" "Will be fine." "Well, there's a pub just down the road" "that's fairly quiet, we could go there." "Good, thanks very much." "Cheerio, then, mate." "Cheers, Phil." "Thanks very much." "Thanks, very nice of you." "See you in a few months, yeah?" "Bye bye!" "Would you care to buy a paper?" "Do you care for one?" "Okay." "If she pays, I'll have it." "Well, that's it." "Can I get you another drink?" "No, not for me, thanks." "I must catch my train." "That was quite a speech you made." "Thank you." "You seem such a quiet person off the platform, but up there the sparks were really flying." "Must be my Methodist training." "You spoke about legislating capitalism out of existence." "In this country that's possible, yes." "Within the institutional framework?" "Yes, because, see, we have a highly developed civilised society based upon the rule of law, where human rights and democracy are allowed to flourish." "Hmm." "So if a Labour government planned to introduce really full-blooded socialist policies, like the nationalisation of land, factories, banks, insurance, docks, the whole lot, everything, then you really think that the ruling class is going to sit back" "and allow itself to be liquidated?" "Well, that's a very hypothetical question." "No, but just supposing that it happened?" "Well, of course we'd expect certain resistance from varied sections of the employing classes and the big boys with their economic power would try to discredit us with propaganda in the newspapers, etcetera." "Naturally the Tories and the Liberals would do everything in their power to block it by legislative means in Parliament." "But as I say, it's a very conjectural proposition." "We don't have that kind of support yet." "The Russians had Lenin and his Bolsheviks, who have you got?" "The Russians needed Lenin." "We don't." "No?" "Well, I see no evidence of drunken Cossack hordes armed to the teeth, despotic land owners, dark sinister forces plotting our downfall." "Perhaps I could surprise you a little, Mr Hargreaves." "Really?" "No, I think you journalist fellows should give us a chance." "I mean, we're only just now in power." "You should give us the chance to get the gloves on, as it were." "What for?" "The fight's fixed." "How do you mean?" "Let me tell you something, Mr Hargreaves." "A certain prominent member of the Labour government has had a meeting with a leading Tory." "The issue at stake was a highly secret plan to deal with any major strike which might get out of hand." "What on earth do you mean?" "What I'm saying is that the Cossacks are all around you." "Waiting for the call, if and when they're needed." "At least, that's the way it looks." "That's a very serious charge." "Can you prove it?" "No, but I can give you plenty of information to be going on with." "You've heard of the Tory JC Davidson?" "Uh-huh." "And John Anderson, the Permanent Undersecretary to the Home Office" "in the Tory government?" "Of course." "In 1919, Lloyd George set up the Supply and Transport Committee to deal with any revolutionary situation which might develop out of the war." "Last year, because of the industrial unrest," "Prime Minister Baldwin revived the same committee." "And he put these two men in charge." "Davidson was made the Chief Civil Commissioner and his salary was paid directly out of Tory Party funds to avoid any publicity." "The country was then divided up into zones, each with its own area commander or commandant." "For instance, Scotland was to be directly under the control of the Lord Advocate." "These people were to take over from Parliament if and when private ownership was really threatened." "You'd be doing what you were told at the point of a gun." "So what happens to your democracy and human rights then?" "How did you get to know about this?" "When you organise an operation on that scale," "I mean, when you organise what is literally a secret army, then sooner or later somebody is going to find out about it." "How does the Labour government come into all this?" "Right up to its radical neck." "These plans were set into operation in May of last year and from what I can gather, everything went smoothly for a few months, until Baldwin decided to call an election." "That's when they discovered the fly in the ointment." "What happens if the Labour Party gets in?" "And all these plans wind up on the desk of some Labourite trade unionist?" "Not only would it be embarrassing, but it would also forewarn the trade union as to what was in store for them." "So, Davidson is astute." "He knows a friend when he sees one." "What he did was he went to see Josiah Wedgwood, his opposite number in your government." "And what he said, more or less, was," ""It doesn't really matter which party is in power." ""A general strike could lead to a Bolshevik-inspired revolution." ""Neither of us wants that, do we?" ""So, don't shelve these plans, they might come in useful."" "And Wedgwood agreed." "Or so I'm told." "My first reaction is one of total horror, disbelief." "If this is true, this amounts to the most treacherous class collaboration imaginable." "But how do I know that what you're saying is true?" "You don't, you have my word for it." "And the word of others." "Whose names you can't divulge?" "That's right." "But what do you expect me to do about it?" "I don't know." "That's up to you." "Can I get you a drink?" "No, no, really, please." "I must go." "Or I might miss my train." "Contact me in London, will you?" "Yes." "Goodbye for now." "Goodbye." "(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)" "Hello, Phil." "This is Joel Barnett, I've told you about him." "How do you do, Joel?" "Pleased to meet you." "Yes, Ben's told me all about you." "What are you doing here in London, then?" "We're on a wage claim and we're lobbying our MP to push it." "Oh, yeah?" "You see, it's the swings and the roundabouts they took off us at Blackferry three years ago that we are trying to snatch back, but only this time, with the Labour government in, we're not expecting too much trouble." "Mmm." "Well, I hope you do well with it." "Well, I hope so." "Phil, Joel's going to stay the night." "Oh, yeah, sure, fine." "You haven't been long out of prison then, Joel?" "The release were last summer." "Yeah." "Yeah, because Ben was telling me about the pitched battle you had there with the police." "Oh, it was rough." "Terrible, it was." "SARAH:" "How did your meeting go, Phil?" "Uh, I think it went quite well, actually." "BEN:" "Here, Sarah, tell ..." "SARAH:" "You had owt to eat?" "Uh, no, not just yet." "BEN:" "Tell Joel about Beatrice Webb." "Beatrice Webb?" "You know what I think about Beatrice Webb, don't you?" "You know who she is, don't you?" "Oh, right." "Well, she's really worried about all the kind of working-class habits of Labour MPs' wives and she's decided that now they're MPs' wives, they ought to learn how to behave like 'em." "Ta, love." "So she's teaching them what cutlery they ought to use when they go out to eat, how they ought to sit when they're in public." "But they lap it up, you know." "That's what gets me." "These are Labour MPs' wives, you know, they should be setting a bloody example." "No, all they're worried about is who is going to get most like Tories fastest." "Yeah." "And Snowden's wife." "Well, he's Chancellor of the Exchequer now." "And therefore, she thinks she's got a right to Number 11, which is where the Clynes are living." "And that's all she can talk about and think about is why she isn't in Number 11." "She's so narked about it that MacDonald's daughter sent us all invitations to have tea and Mrs Snowden put it round that the ladies wouldn't like tea there, the ladies would prefer tea on the terrace." "I can't understand it, man." "All the time this is going on, there's people walking the streets have got nowhere to live, not enough to eat." "And all these clowns can worry about is where they're going to have tea on the terraces?" "It makes you bloody sick, it does." "BEN:" "I know." "But Ramsay MacDonald is just as big a snob." "He's filling his Cabinet with Tories and Liberals, working class don't get a look in." "You know, he didn't even give George Lansbury a job." "SARAH:" "Makes you sick." "Actually, I'm quite hungry now, Sarah, if there's anything going." "Yeah, what do you fancy?" "What have you got?" "Some ham, eggs." "Oh, I'll come and see for meself." "I'll make you a shepherd's pie, if you like." "No, I just fancy something light." "Where have the kids gone to?" "They're playing out, I'll go get them in a minute." "What's he like, this brother-in-law of yours?" "He's all right." "Social democrat." "Full of all sorts of illusions, like." "You can get on with him, you know." "Do you think he's hostile to the Party?" "What?" "Do you think he's hostile to the Party?" "Oh, no, no." "He's on the left." "Not as much as Purcell and Swales is." "But he's not hostile." "Then again, he's got this tie up with union, you know?" "Transport and General?" "Yeah, Ernie Bevin." "You know what he thinks of us." "Do I not." "By the way, Ben, how did they treat you in prison?" "Oh." "It were all right once I got out of the hands of the military." "Give you some stick, them lot." "Yeah, they did." "It were all right after that, you know." "But not at first." "At first it were hard." "I can imagine." "What about you, how'd you get on?" "Well, to tell you the truth, Ben, I didn't mind it." "I worried about how the wife and kids were faring and all that, right." "But just the sheer pleasure of not having to think what you're going to do tomorrow morning, who you're going to face, how you're going to do this and that." "How you're going to find a few bobs here, a few bobs there." "What about your Jenny, how's she going on?" "Oh, she's doing all right, man." "She got married when I was in prison, you know." "Did she?" "She married a pit man." "Got a couple of kids now." "They find it hard like the rest of us, but they're quite happy." "She were a good lass, your Jenny." "Oh, she's a kind lass." "You lads eaten, have you had something?" "JOEL:" "Yes, thanks." "We had summat before." "Yeah." "Right." "Ta." "What do you reckon to the election then, Joel?" "Well, obviously I'm over the moon that Labour got in." "But it's a pity you've got to rely on them Liberals." "Yeah, absolutely." "I mean anything worthwhile you try to get through, they'll block, won't they?" "Yeah." "Yeah, you're right." "BEN:" "Still, it's a big step forward, Joel." "But them Liberals have had to come copper over Labour." "It was Lloyd George who hammered us in '21, remember?" "BEN:" "Yeah, right." "We feed at different tables and I don't give a toss for the Tories about what's on the menu, but there's no argument about who foots the bill, it's us, the workers." "Are you a member of the Communist Party as well, Joel?" "Yes." "Seen much of Shinwell, Phil?" "Hmm." "Oh." "What's he like?" "How do you rate him?" "He's a very clever man." "Lots of jungle agility." "Any chance of getting the pits nationalised with him?" "Minister of Mines?" "Not a cat in hell's." "Why is that when the Sankey Report came out in favour of it?" "You've already put your finger on it, the Liberals would prevent it." "BEN:" "It's up to Labour to shove it through, then, bugger the Liberals." "We wouldn't last a month, Ben." "The Tory and Liberal vote combined would fetch us down." "BEN:" "Go to country again, then." "Try again, with a real socialist programme." "Show up Liberals for what they are." "JOEL:" "The workers who voted Labour expect summat different." "And if you start playing the Tory-Liberal game, they'll turn away, and say, "What's the point?" "There's no difference."" "PHILIP:" "You should both of you take the trouble to read the constitution of the Labour Party." "What, Clause 4?" "Yeah." "PHILIP:" "The workers, by hand and brain, shall receive the full fruits of their industry, etcetera, etcetera." "Yeah, we got to fight for this programme, though, Phil." "Yeah, I was under the impression that was what the election is supposed to be all about." "Besides, we need experience in office." "One thing the Tories do have, 'cause they've been at it longer than we have, in abundance, is highly trained administrators." "JOEL:" "Trained?" "Well, experienced, yeah." "Aye, at fleecing the workers, yes." "What did Baldwin know about the pits?" "And what did Churchill ever do but make a bollocks of the Dardanelles?" "Sent the troops into the Welsh coalfields." "Dashed about on a bloody horse, playing polo and shouting his big mouth off." "You Communist lads are all the same." "No, but he's right, though, Phil, we've got plenty of organisers." "We've built up the trade unions." "What you're after, what both of you are after, is armed confrontation between the workers and the government." "JOEL:" "We're not." "But if that's what it comes to." "My experience as a pit man tells me that anything we've ever got we've had to fight for." "I'm just going to go out and find the children, Phil." "Okay, love." "What time are you going to see your MP tomorrow, Joel?" "Twelve o'clock I want to be there for." "Because there's this do on that we're going to at 12:30 to meet some Russians." "So if you and a couple of your mates would like to come along..." "Yeah, we'd love to." "That's all right, isn't it, Phil?" "PHIL:" "Yeah, yeah, of course." "Yeah, it'd be fairly interesting for you to meet these people." "Right." "I'll see you all in a minute." "Ta-ra." "Bye." "BEN:" "You know, you're dead wrong, Phil." "You're completely wrong." "The trouble with you lot is that you judge everything from the Russian experience." "You behave as if every social revolution has got to go along the same lines." "JOEL:" "What other experience is there?" "They've gone ahead and done it." "Yeah, well, I'm sorry they have." "I'm not defending the Czar or anything, I mean, for them it was a good thing, it was the only way out." "BEN:" "And we are different, are we?" "Of course we are." "And by the way, the credit shouldn't all go to Lenin." "I mean, it was his genius that engineered the whole thing, but the system was corrupt anyway." "It was rotten to the core." "It had to go." "BEN:" "Don't you think we've got a system that's rotten to the core here?" "Yes and no." "JOEL:" "Well, you can't have it both ways." "Well, as a matter of fact, I believe you can." "BEN:" "How?" "Well, now you two are going to laugh at this for a start." "BEN:" "Well, go on." "JOEL:" "What?" "On the one hand, you've got a system whereby kids go hungry in the street and the rich get richer." "Which we all know is rotten." "It's decadent and it's corrupt." "But on the other hand, you've got a parliamentary system which allows to put something else in its place." "Oh!" "Lenin would've sorted all that out." "No, let me finish." "Whether Baldwin, Lloyd George or Churchill, like it or not, it's there." "For years now, they've been using it to consolidate their own power." "But what they can't do is just kick it aside and pretend it doesn't exist." "'Cause if they did that, then there really would be revolution." "Yeah, but it's who holds the economic power that counts." "Isn't it?" "Big business holding the purse strings, calling the tune." "Up to a point, yes." "Up to a point." "It's there!" "Are you honestly telling us that if people get a bit rebellious, they're not going to come down on us?" "It's on the bloody cards, man." "You can bet your life on that." "It probably is, which is all the more reason why we shouldn't give them the opportunity..." "Look, we challenge that authority." "We took over property, and we done three year for it." "I mean, in Russia under the Czar, if you were a Communist, you'd automatically get whipped off to Siberia." "Whereas in England, like it or not, you can publish your own newspapers and stand for election." "BEN:" "But what does that prove?" "Which proves that you can change things democratically." "(SCOFFS)" "Well, what would happen?" "Well, what happens if we decide democratically to take away all their wealth?" "The land, the banks, the factories." "What happens then?" "PHILIP:" "Well, there'd be a stink, yeah." "Well, it's obvious, isn't it?" "BEN:" "More than any bloody stink." "Yeah, but what we've got to do is to convince the majority of the electorate that we are in the right." "BEN:" "Oh, dear me, and then what would they do?" "Parliament would go by the board, and they'd just rule by force." "Anyway, we'll never convince the majority by simple propaganda." "How can we?" "Well, you might as well piss in the Atlantic." "They own the schools, the colleges, the army, the police." "What else?" "The courts, papers." "And you talk to us about persuading the majority." "Yeah, but I mean, the fact remains that we are in government." "BEN:" "Aye, but you're not in power." "Yeah, well, just give us a chance to get a majority and be in government, then we'll show you what it's about." "Hey up." "How's the wife?" "She's champion." "Where have you been?" "Been to have a look at the sights." "What bloody sights?" "Well, we had a look at Buckingham Palace." "What the hell do you want to go to Buckingham Palace for?" "See if it's still there." "To have a look at it." "Yous want to be ashamed of yourselves." "A working man, you've seen it all happen." "Well, how's that?" "We only went and had a look at it, man." "We haven't done nothing." "Oh, you're standing there, waving, don't you, standing there with all the other gobshites." "Just relax." "You ought to go..." "You ought to go yoursen and have a look at it." "It's a beautiful bloody building." "It's got to be bloody beautiful, the money they're getting off us." "You're a bloody disgrace to the working people are you, man." "Standing and watching them lot." "There's a Russian trade delegation come over." "Have you heard of Suslov?" "He's brought this trade delegation over from Russia, and Philip's fixed it up so as we can meet them." "So if you go see your MP, you know, we can go and meet 'em after." "You know, summat to eat, summat to sup." "Howay." "Howay." "It took me bloody ages, man." "I'm sure I know the name." "Yeah?" "(CONVERSATION CONTINUES, INDISTINCT)" "(INAUDIBLE)" "He's up there, look." "Follow me." "Joan said that she doesn't want to stay too long." "Well, I don't want to stay longer than I need, anyway." "Hey up." "Hello, Ben." "I'm still waiting for them lot, they're over there." "Oh, well, listen, I'd better be getting along, 'cause they'll be expecting me." "Does Joel know how to get there?" "No, no." "Well, I'll just pop over and tell him how to get there." "Okay." "How long have you been here?" "About five minutes." "Have we got lost?" "He said it was up the stairs, man." "Well, I think you're going the right of way." "He could have told us it was up here, like." "Well, you've got a tongue in your head, haven't you?" "All right, ask him." "Could you tell me where the Russians are holding the party?" "The Russians, over from Russia." "The delegation." "We've been invited to this party." "Their having a party here somewhere and we've been invited by this MP." "Is it the Liberal Party?" "(ALL TALKING AT ONCE)" "You know there's a do going on." "There's a party, man, up here." "We've been invited by an MP to the party." "The Russians are having a party." "Have you never been to a party?" "Where they drink wine and pints of beer and sandwiches and things, man." "(ALL TALKING AT ONCE)" "He looked like a Tory MP." "This is the place here, look." ""Delegates of trade representatives from the USSR."" "That's them." "Let's go in." "Knock, man!" "Never mind knocking." "Good evening, gentlemen." "Can I help you?" "Is this where the Russians are having a party?" "Yes, this is the Russian party, sir." "Oh, I'm sorry, gentlemen, but this is a private party." "We're all about that but we've been invited here." "I'm sorry, but have you got an invitation, sir?" "We've got an official invitation from an MP's wife." "Uh, do you know the name of the MP?" "Aye, Philip, uh..." "Philip..." "He's a Labour man." "I'm sorry, gentlemen." "I'm awfully sorry." "We've come a long way, you know." "Sod him!" "Sod him!" "Hey, man, come back!" "Come back!" "Gentlemen, please, don't cause a scene." "(ALL CLAMOURING)" "They're friends of mine." "Oh, I'm awfully sorry, ma'am." "Sorry, sir." "Sorry, sir." "(ALL MUTTERING)" "JOEL:" "This is old Shep and Tom Crisp." "Pleased to meet you." "Hello." "Where do you hang these?" "I'll have it, sir." "Thank you." "Thank you, sir." "(ALL CHATTERING)" "Were you lost, man?" "Where have you been?" "We were lost in the corridors, man." "These are Joel's friends." "Joel Barnett, this is Herbert Johnson." "Pleased to meet you." "Very pleased to meet you, Joel." "I heard one or two of your speeches, but there's one or two things I'm not too sure about." "What sort of things are those?" "Well, how socialist this government can be..." "Friends, Comrades, can I have your attention please?" "Just for a couple of minutes, whilst I say a few words of welcome to our friends from the Soviet Union." "As you might know, in November last year..." "You haven't got a drink." "...as a result of a resolution passed at our own Trade Union Congress, I visited Russia along with John Bromley," "George Hicks, Alonzo Swales..." "Vodka." "...to establish closer links with our opposite number in the Soviet Union." "Altogether we was there for two months." "And in that time, I can honestly say that everything it was possible to see we saw." "Absolutely nothing was hidden from us." "In fact, everywhere we went, along the Volga, in the Caucasus, even into the Ukraine, there were meetings going on all over the place." "In the villages, in the factories, in the shops." "Even on the schools and on the farms." "The atmosphere was one of energy, of unity, of one of achievement, pride in the achievements." "Of course, there is a lot to be done." "Poverty still exists." "Prejudice." "Ignorance is still there." "But the people are working hard, they're working in unity to change all this." "And they will." "However, the purpose today is not to give a report of that visit." "That will be published in February." "The purpose today is to welcome, on your behalf," "Mr Suslov and his comrades who make up this trade delegation." "Mr Suslov." "(CROWD APPLAUDING)" "My comrades and I thank you for your warm welcome." "We look forward with confidence to the future and friendship of the British working class." "To friendship!" "(TOASTS IN RUSSIAN)" "(CROWD CLAPPING)" "Sorry." "Sorry, Sarah." "You're throwing it down all yourself." "Get it down your throat." "Having a little bath." "Pleased to meet you, comrade." "Pleased to meet you." "Well done." "What did he say to you?" "Well, he said basically Shinwell will probably get a rise this year but as for nationalisation, didn't want to know about it." "Look, man." "The fellow just stood there and laughed at us." "That's what he did." "What did he..." "Did you talk to him?" "He says to us, "There's never been any serious possibility."" "Them were his words." "I said, "Well, we're serious enough about it, son."" "My goodness, beats working for a living, doesn't it?" "It certainly does." "Certainly does." "The good stuff." "Aye." "Now I know why they want to be MPs." "Keep quiet." "We're getting it for nothing." "You've got no right to be sceptical about it." "The things that Russia have been through and they're going through now." "Famine, the factories, everything's gone to rack and ruin now." "The people are fighting for their very existence." "And yet you're sceptical." "Why?" "I don't underestimate..." "You do underestimate!" "I think Mr Johnson is referring to discussion we had earlier." "In our new economic policy, we will allow a certain limited reintroduction of capitalism and the profit motive." "There is nothing rigid about Marxist theory, you must be realistic in some things." "Course, realistic means using any material that's available." "Of course." "You're attacking Communism." "Communism doesn't exist there." "Not yet, it doesn't." "It isn't even socialism." "All they've got is the power in the hands of the people." "They've got to start building socialism." "Fine, as long as they're going to start building in the right direction." "You can't just build all ways and hope it's going to come out right." "Yes, but..." "Excuse me." "I think it's important to meet as many people as possible." "Of course." "This is what I'm here for." "This is Mrs Robinson from the Trade Union Congress." "Look, these land owners, the industrialists, all the people who have been dispossessed by the Revolution, are now being asked to come back and take up their former occupation." "Do you really think they're going to step back out of the limelight as soon as the economy is on its feet?" "I mean, do you think it's going to be so easy to turn the clock back?" "No." "They're going to have to." "I mean, surely they're just a necessary evil until other people have learnt the skills that they've got and after that, they'll be got rid of." "I'm not sure I like "got rid of"." "I mean, I don't mean got rid of in that sense." "I mean that power will be taken away from them." "You want one of these?" "Mmm." "Fine." "You're joking!" "I was going to have that one." "I wonder where you get a slash round here?" "No idea." "I'm bursting." "Ask the fella." "Can't, man, he's got the wife with him." "That's no good, is it?" "Hey." "Yes, sir?" "Where's the lavs round here?" "The gentleman's toilet, sir?" "Down the corridor, second on the right." "I'll be able to get a piss there, will I?" "I would hope so, sir." "You'll get us thrown out, man." "Hold these." "Sure." "Hello, there." "Hello." "I'll tell you what," "I know you lads did a canny job over there, but you want to watch this load of shysters here, 'cause they'll cut your bloody throat as soon as look at you, this lot." "No, man." "Got to use your head with this lot." "Just keep your gob shut, sup that beer and balls to the lot of them." "Anyway, it's been nice meeting you, pal." "Yeah, but I mean it's quite easy to get on with the Russian Communists, 'cause they're not actually in power here." "They are in Russia." "When I was there," "I saw no evidence at all of persecution, as I've said." "We travelled extensively." "Well, let's wait and see what's going to happen to Mr Trotsky and his friends, John." "I'd like to come back to the point that Sarah made before, because I think this is the real crucial issue." "These people have been brought back in to manage, to get us over the short-term obstacles." "It's not going to be that easy to get them out again afterwards." "You know, they've seen the way the wind's blowing." "They're flocking to join the Party." "The old bosses, the old managers are coming in as members of the Communist Party now." "You're exaggerating, man." "You must be." "No, I'm not exaggerating." "The figures are there, they're clear enough." "You've only got to look at them and to me it just stands out." "What figures?" "Look, after the Revolution, they were going to..." "All the old managers, all the old bosses were going to be pushed out and replaced by people from the shop floor, by ordinary working men who were going to control their own industries and run their own factories." "And in 1922, two years ago, we got a situation where two-thirds of management were workers, shop floormen." "And only one-third were non-workers, the old bosses." "And of that third, about one in seven were members of the Party." "Now, the figures published at the end of last year, and that's only 12 months later, the whole situation has been turned over onto its head and you've got a situation where only one-third of the managers are workers" "and two-thirds are the old bosses finding their way back in." "And this is the real key, of those two-thirds, more than half of them, more than half of the old bosses are members of the Communist Party." "It's incredible." "It's more than just incredible, Sarah," "I think it's a very, very real danger sign." "It shows the way it could be going." "We were going to have this classless society in Russia, John." "And what's happening?" "You know, already people seem to be moving in and making little niches for theirselves." "Creating a new hierarchy." "Yeah, but you're ignoring..." "What you're ignoring is the fact that the Communist Party are in control." "They're holding the reins." "They may be holding the reins, but who's the jockey?" "Stalin?" "Trotsky, perhaps." "The Party." "Yes." "They'll make sure everything goes on the right lines." "Look, I don't want to disillusion you about the Communist..." "You cannot disillusion me, mate, you can talk till you're black in face." "You'll not make me not believe in what the Party is doing and everything they stand for." "I don't think we're against the concept..." "BEN:" "Is that a bit of dress?" "I think that's a piece of sky, is it?" "No, some..." "A pond." "Hmm." "Where's he taking you, then?" "I don't know." "Some restaurant or other." "Bit la-di-da, like?" "So he's taken to supping wine and all, eh?" "You're a sarcastic bugger." "Who is?" "You." "You can't resist a snide remark, can you?" "No, get off, man." "I'm only pulling your leg." "JANE:" "Where does this go?" "I don't know." "It's this corner, I think." "I do wish you'd stop these attacks on him, Ben." "I'm not attacking him, you know." "I attack that bloody union." "You know, it's nowt personal." "Same difference." "Yeah, but I mean, you knew what score were when I first came here." "I did tell you." "He did get you that job on the docks, you know." "So?" "And put a roof over your head when you came out prison." "What's that got to do with it?" "(CHILD LAUGHING)" "Peter, come on." "I don't know, what's your dad going to say if I arrive looking like an old rag-bag, eh?" "Hang on a minute." "Ta." "Thanks." "This hat looks absolutely ridiculous." "Ah, you're all right, love." "Get him to buy you another one." "It'll have to do." "All I mean, Ben, is I just don't want this house torn apart because of politics." "No, it won't be, love." "Just stop bringing your arguments home." "All right, you going to give us a kiss?" "Right, now you're going to be nice to your uncle Ben?" "Yes?" "Yes." "And make sure that you're in bed in half an hour?" "Right." "You'll make sure, won't you, Ben?" "Oh, yes." "Okay, love." "All right?" "Here, Sarah." "Don't sup too much of that wine, will you?" "Bye-bye." "Bye-bye." "Ta-ra." "Are we done, then?" "Last bit." "Thanks." "I can't believe it." "I know." "I couldn't believe it, either." "Sir." "Yes, thank you." "That looks very nice." "Any potatoes?" "Just one." "That's fine, thanks." "Potatoes, sir?" "Just a couple." "What paper did you say he worked for?" "Carrots?" "Uh, no thank you." "Empire News." "I mean, my first reaction was that either he was a liar or someone, for his own reasons, who'd just invented the whole thing." "Why should he want to do that?" "That's just it." "I don't know." "Been racking my brains to try and think of a motive, but I just can't come up with one." "What I do keep coming back to is that he just may have got hold of the truth." "Why should he want to tell you?" "Well, reporters do like to shock, I suppose." "But on the other hand, he may just have wanted to pass it over to someone on our side." "But obviously, what I can't do is just ignore it." "I mean, if it's true, then how deep does our freedom go?" "I mean, it's as if you just scratch the surface and there's a police state underneath." "I mean, if it's true, what it amounts to is that there is a conspiracy against the people." "And if a Labour Minister can turn a blind eye to that, then where are we?" "I mean, if you'd told me a year ago that Baldwin and the Tories were secretly carving up the country, and that there were plans to smash the workers in the case of unrest, I wouldn't have believed you." "I wouldn't have believed that even the Tories were capable of such a thing." "I mean, it's so bloody unconstitutional." "The whole basis of this system is that the police, the Civil Service, the army are under direct control from Parliament." "And that your MP can just get up in the House, ask a direct question about what the government is doing and expect a direct answer." "I mean, that's what this country stands for, it's what freedom is all about, despite political differences, in peace time." "What are you going to do about it?" "I don't know." "You can't just sit back and close your eyes to it, can you?" "I don't intend to." "You know me better than that." "What are you going to do?" "See Wedgwood." "Demand a direct answer." "Do you think he'll give you one?" "Hmm." "He'll have to." "Morning there, sir." "Ah, how do you do?" "I'm sorry I wasn't able to see you before, but as a matter of fact, it's been rather a busy week for me." "Yes, of course." "I did try several times." "Won't you sit down?" "Thank you very much." "I have your letter here." "I must say it gave me rather a jolt." "Who gave you this information?" "A reporter." "Can I ask his name?" "I'd rather not disclose his identity." "Why not?" "Well, the information was given in confidence." "Oh, come on, now." "You can't just make allegations like this and then conceal the identity of the person responsible." "I mean, if he's so sure of his facts, why hasn't he published them?" "He claimed he didn't have enough proof for that." "So he sends you along like an errand boy to do his dirty work." "No, that's not the case at all." "Oh, don't misunderstand me, Hargreaves." "Well, I rather object to being called an errand boy." "I object to being maligned by some anonymous journalist who happens to work for a Conservative newspaper." "But I have no wish to fall out with you, Hargreaves." "As a matter of fact," "I respect the straightforward way you've dealt with this." "I thought it best to come directly to you." "Have you discussed this with anyone else?" "No, of course not." "Hmm." "Have you arranged to see this reporter again?" "No." "You have no communication with him whatsoever?" "None at all, no." "Thank you." "Absolutely." "What does he hope to gain?" "I don't know." "So the whole object and purpose of this miserable exercise is to write a story which will enhance his personal reputation and at the same time, discredit the Labour government." "Well, uh, perhaps, yes." "No perhaps about it." "That's what this fellow's after." "Well, he certainly wouldn't get that from me." "I'm quite sure of that." "I'm simply trying to get at the heart of the matter." "Unfortunately, it isn't always that simple." "There are times when one has to embellish facts, conceal motives, disguise intentions." "Like that speech you made at Liverpool on Saturday." "Oh, it was exaggerated out of all proportion." "By the newspaper." "Very much so." "And by reporters who set out to discredit you." "Yes, I suppose so." "I thought that in the circumstances, that was a good speech you made." "You told them exactly what they wanted to hear." "Had you not done so, the influence of the Communists would have been strengthened." "We have a big problem there." "Hmm, we may have." "It's like walking on balloons." "I'm sure it is." "Nevertheless, what you said at Liverpool did help to spike the enemy guns, as it were." "Which does raise some interesting points." "I mean, how far does a Labour government go in dealing with the Communist threat and at the same time ensuring that the rights and traditional liberties of the ordinary, decent trade unionist are not interfered with?" "PHILIP:" "Hmm." "Now, in your own union, for example, how does Bevin cope with the Communists in the union?" "With a big stick, he just walks all over them." "Hmm." "If we did that, we'd be accused of betraying the working class, setting up a dictatorship." "Yes, but if we could come back to the letter, Minister." "Ah, yes." "All I really want you to do is to deny that there is any truth in these allegations." "I'm sorry, Hargreaves." "Believe me, I'm not attempting to evade anything, but I refuse to confirm or deny the truth of these allegations." "My responsibilities are to the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and Parliament, in that order." "And I'll tell you this, never at any time has there been any collusion between either myself or any other member of the Labour Cabinet and Anderson, Baldwin, Davidson or any other Tory you wish to name." "And that's as far as I'm prepared to discuss it with you." "As for the rest, well, the powers granted to me as Chief Civil Commissioner are public knowledge, there are no secrets there." "And whatever steps I take will be subject to debate and discussion in the House of Commons." "Yes, well, I'm sorry to go on about this, Minister, but these secret plans, if they exist, were they ever handed over for your safekeeping?" "I mean, that's the crux of the matter." "You really are a very persistent fellow aren't you, Hargreaves?" "I'm sorry, but I just want to get at the truth." "What are we talking about?" "Now, we are agreed that there is a Communist threat, in your own union, for example." "And that they will stop at nothing to achieve their ends is beyond question." "Mmm." "So isn't it the duty of any party, any government, regardless of party politics, to protect the democratic way of life?" "Which, with all its imperfections, through the ballot box has enabled us to take power for the first time in history." "Well, there's no question about that." "So we now have a Labour government at Westminster, of which you are a part." "What it boils down to is are you prepared to trust that government?" "Yes, well, I felt I had to come and see you." "I'm glad you did." "I hope I haven't taken up too much of your time." "Not at all." "Not at all." "Worth discussing." "Well, I'll be going." "Good day to you." "Thank you very much." "Can you find your own way out?" "Yes, certainly." "Thank you." "Good day to you, Hargreaves."