2110-5-1-15

[Barden Speed]

35, Paternoster Row, E. C. 4.

7th July, 1927.

My dearest mother

I am so very sorry Nan has had a relapse after getting better. It was very foolish of her to go about when she is not quite well, especially in this dreadful weather. I am so glad she did well at Galashiels. Do make her listen to sense, or she won't be well enough to come to us in Mull.

I am sending you the tickets, which Bardie sent me this morning. You will see that if you are going to motor you ought to ask for a special pass, and I fancy you will have to motor, as the thing begins at ten o'clock.

I am sending you a typewritten letter so that I can give you an account of the events of yesterday and my maiden speech. I never started anything in such poor form. I was feeling very tired and not very well, and it was horrid, hot, muggy weather. To make things more difficult "The Times" announced that I was going to speak, and the whole stage was set as if I had been a Cabinet Minister. I met Neville Chamberlain at lunch and he said that he did not believe that any maiden speech had ever been undertaken under more awful difficulties. Besides, I was going to attack the Government and try to get them to drop this foolish House of Lords scheme, which would split the party, and that is not an easy job for a new Member, especially when the Prime Minister is an intimate friend.

Ramsay Macdonald, who moved the vote of censure, was very bad, but dangerous, and the P.M. who followed, was desperately flat

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and unimpressive. The arrangement had been that Lloyd George should speak third, and I was to follow him, but Lloyd George sent me a note saying that he intended following me. This, and the fact that Baldwin made an entirely different speech from what I had expected, compelled me to recast very rapidly in my head a great deal of what I meant to say. To crown all, Alice had a tea party of young ladies at half past four on the Terrace, just when the Prime Minister began to speak, and I had to rush out and start them off while a friend took notes for me of what the P.M. said.

The Socialist Minister who spoke third, emptied the House completely, which was lucky for me, as it enabled Members to have their tea. I got up at about half past five with a very empty House, in which interest was absolutely dead. You know I am not often nervous, but my legs knocked together and my mouth was as dry as a stick! There is something about that place which is simply terrifying for a beginner.

I spoke for about five minutes rather labouredly, and then I suddenly realised that the House was full up and packed, with people standing below the gangway (in itself a great compliment). Then I suddenly seemed to get going, and after that I really enjoyed myself. I was cheered to the echo again and again, and when I sat down, after speaking for over twenty minutes, there was so much applause that it was some minutes before Lloyd George could get begun. I am sending you Hansard with a full report, and you will see some references to me later in the debate, which I have marked with a blue pencil.

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I had a ludicrous amount of congratulations, which I must store up against the day when I shall make a fool of myself!

Baldwin came to me and said that he agreed with every word I said, and he thought my speech had made history, and that he, personally, was very obliged to me. What I did was to kill the House of Lords proposals, and Winston felt it necessary to devote a considerable part of his speech to a eulogy of me. You see, I have 150 Conservatives behind me, the best young men in the party. Baldwin has been put into an awkward fix by Birkenhead and others, and we have got him out of it, for there will be nothing more heard of the scheme.

I was tremendously touched by the Clydeside Labour Members. They came to me in a group, and Maxton said, "Man, we were terrible nervous when you began, for we thought you weren't going to get away with it, and we were awfu' happy when you really got started." I send you a few cuttings from the morning papers.

Thank goodness it is over, and well over; but I wouldn't like to go through most of yesterday again.

I am very anxious about Nan. Do make her listen to reason, or she will really get into bad health.

Much love. John