To the right of me sat Hilton Young,

Edward Hilton Young (1st Baron Kennet), Liberal MP, minister of health, 1931–35.

the health minister, who is certain to be ‘retired’. No wonder. This is what he told me at dinner: ‘A military threat from Germany? Nonsense! All these rumours are terribly exaggerated. Even if there is a threat, what do we, the English, have to do with it? We were stupid to send a million-strong army to the continent during the past war – we shall never do it again. We’ve had enough of war. If Germany and the USSR start fighting, that’s their business. We would even gain from it – both sides would get weaker, and we would trade.’

No doubt, many Conservatives reason like this, but it’s a bit much for ‘His Majesty’s minister’. There are obviously a few screws loose in Hilton Young’s head.

To my left sat Halifax,

Edward Frederick Lindley Wood (1st earl of Halifax), a prize fellow at All Souls College, Oxford, he went on to become the viceroy of India, 1926–32; president of the Board of Education, 1932–35; chancellor of Oxford University, 1933–59; Conservative leader of the House of Lords, 1935–38; secretary of state for war, 1935; lord privy seal, 1935–37; lord president of the council, 1937–38; secretary of state for foreign affairs, 1938–40; and British ambassador to the United States, 1941–46.

former viceroy of India and presently the minister of education. His stance was absolutely different. He himself began speaking about the German threat and inquired about our attitude to Hitler, the Franco-Soviet pact, etc. Summing up, Halifax said: ‘It’s extremely irksome that the German threat has re-emerged in Europe. I’d give anything for someone to persuade me that there is no such threat. But facts are facts. Since Germany’s intentions are unclear, you need to base your practical calculations on the worst scenario, not the best.’

Cunliffe-Lister approached me after dinner and spoke to me about our air fleet, the prospects of limiting air forces, etc. One thing is clear: Cunliffe-Lister will be secretary of state for air in the new Cabinet.