House of Lords record office, Beaverbrook papers, file D-423.

June 5, 1945

Prime Minister’s Broadcast attack on Socialism

THE Prime Minister opened the election broadcast campaign last night with a vigorous attack on the Liberal and Labour Parties, who, he said, had left their Coalition colleagues to carry the nation’s burden.

Mr. Churchill deplored the departure of the Liberals, yielding to “the tactical temptation to acquire more seats” and denounced the Socialist policy as a dangerous challenge to liberty and to the credit of the nation. He stated, personally attacking Morrison and Cripps, “No Socialist Government conducting the entire life and industry of the country could afford to allow free, sharp or violently worded expressions of public discontent. They would have to fall back on some form of Gestapo, no doubt very humanely directed in the Þrst instance. …”

[… etc.]

He accused the Socialists of planning Gestapo rule of the country. The Beaverbrook press liked it, and headlined his speech: “Gestapo in Britain if Socialists win,” said the Express, and the Telegraph chimed in: “Premier’s attack on Socialists” Gestapo in Britain if they win.”

The Daily Herald [ June 6, 1945] wrote a stinging editorial, warning that he had thoroughly disillusioned the electorate by insulting a vast section of the people with a degree of venom which he would have deplored if used just a few weeks earlier against even the likes of General Franco. Attlee reminded the people that it was to the Labour movement that Churchill “owed his position as prime minister.”