So, last night the five of us (Agniya, I, the Kagans and Mironov) sat in the Royal Automobile Club and listened to radio broadcasts about the election results until 2 a.m. We walked for a while along streets that were unusually calm for an election night. Today, we’ve learned the basic outcome of yesterday’s voting. Well, the results are not bad, though they differ from my expectations. I thought that about 200 Labourites would win seats, but only 150 or 160 have been elected. As for the Liberals, my forecast was right: there are 20 in the new House! There is pleasant news: the Communist Gallacher

i William Gallacher, socialist agitator; chairman of Clyde Workers’ Committee, 1914–18; leading member of the Communist Party and Communist International from 1920 onwards; president of the Communist Party, 1956–63; Communist MP for the Western Division of Fife, 1935–50.

got in in Scotland. He is the first Communist since 1922, when the unfortunate Newbold

John Turner Walton Newbold, first Communist MP, 1922–23; disillusioned with communism he joined the Labour Party and supported National Labour after 1931.

was elected. There are grounds to believe that Gallacher will be more successful. The government majority is 250 (instead of the former 411) – a large majority, but significantly weaker than before. MacDonald failed pitifully, together with his son…