“Mr Speaker, I asked the Honourable member for Mortimer to meet with a delegation from the Soviet Foreign Ministry, in order explore the possibilities of a separate negotiated peace for the island.”
Again he had to wait for the anger to subside.
“Mr Speaker, I did so in order to gauge the Soviet Union’s stance and reaction, as well to ensure that all options were properly explored.”
This time he did not just stop, but raised his voice over the throng.
“There has been no commitment at all, and there is no harm done.”
The hounds bayed louder, drowning out his defence, and much was lost although, in truth, no-one cared.
“Mr Speaker, I considered it prudent to embark on this undertaking, in order to explore all options for the preservation of freedom in our lands, and in the wider world. I repeat, there has been no commitment to any course of action, neither would there be without full and frank consultations with all our allies, and within this house.”
Attlee rallied, his argument convincing him of the astuteness of the move, although the continued jeers indicated that the opposite was true of his political colleagues from both sides of the house.
“Mr Speaker, by exploring all possibilities I have acted properly and within the remit of my office. No harm has been caused by this course of action and none will result, regardless of what approach His Majesty’s Government now chooses to take.”
The noise dropped away as Callard-Smith rose to his feet, holding a piece of paper given to him by someone who had supplied the hangman’s noose for just this very moment.
“Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister informs the House that there is no harm done, but I fear that I must contest that.”
Someone coughed gently and everyone heard it and suddenly realised that the spectator chamber was full, and yet in total silence.
“Mr Speaker, I hold here a draft copy of an urgent military report from the European Front, due to be placed before the Prime Minister this afternoon.”
No-one bothered to ask where he had acquired it from.
“Mr Speaker, before I pass on the contents of this document, I am aware that the first of three meetings between the Honourable member for Mortimer and representatives of the Soviet Foreign Ministry and NKVD took place last Sunday at the private residence of Östen Undén, the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs. Subsequent meetings took place on Monday lunchtime and Tuesday morning.”
Callard-Smith paused to permit the assembly to digest that information. More than one mind digested the introduction of the NKVD into the equation.
As the house descended into expectant silence, he played his part to the full.
The Colonel brandished the sheet of paper, high enough for all to see writing upon it, and for Attlee to imagine it as a headsman’s axe destined for use on him.
“Mr Speaker, this military report indicates that since Sunday evening, a disproportionate number of air raids and ground attacks have been made against our forces, causing heavy casualties amongst our Army and Air Force units.”
Pausing to theatrically consult one important section, Callard-Smith quoted to the assembly.
“If I may Mr Speaker, and I quote, ‘Soviet ground forces have commenced uncoordinated and hasty attacks on a wide front, adopting an offensive system and style not previously seen, and not conforming to any pattern previously identified during the Second War.”
He risked a look at the crestfallen Attlee and continued.
“Prisoners have been taken and talk only of urgent orders from command authorities to maintain attacks on British units, regardless of position or cost, just to maintain pressure at all times.”
A growing noise within the chamber gave him a moment’s pause, and he held his hand up to appeal for silence.
“Activities in American and other Allied sectors conform to previous expectations and doctrine, so this report concludes that British and Dominion forces are being deliberately targeted.”
He turned the report outwards, presenting the written word in Attlee’s direction, his spare hand addressing the paper, highlighting the phrase he loudly and precisely repeated.
“This report concludes that British and Dominion forces are being deliberately targeted.”
The noise returned, louder and more earnest in nature. Callard-brown concluded that the job was nearly done.
“Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister has acted alone and without the consent or agreement of the official organs of state, and in so doing has placed the lives of our fighting troops in extreme jeopardy!”
The headsman’s axe fell, swift and deadly.
“Mr Speaker, as a direct result of the Prime Minister’s ill-advised and unsanctioned mission to Sweden, the British and Dominion Army and Air Forces have suffered heinous losses in men and equipment. Far from, as he states, ‘No harm being done’, this country and her dominions have experienced losses that are directly associated with the Soviet perception of our weakness created by,” and Callard-Smith deliberately sought eye contact with the broken man opposite, “This lunacy!”
The hounds bayed, louder than before.
The beaten Attlee remained seated, suddenly a solitary figure, his Cabinet colleagues having moved away until he alone occupied the wooden front bench.
“Mr Speaker, this House must act now to ensure this betrayal is stopped and that our Allies are comforted and reassured as to our commitment to the shared cause of Freedom.”
He pressed on, talking over the shouts of agreement.
“This House must take the appropriate steps to ensure that such betrayal of our national cause never happens again.”
The shouting grew, almost screaming for what they all knew he was about to propose.
“Mr Speaker, we must also expunge ourselves of the cause of this problem and so, to that end, I propose an immediate vote of ‘no confidence’ in the Prime Minister and earnestly implore him to resign so that our Country may hold its head high again.”
The shouts of ‘Aye’ dominated the next few minutes, each individual word driving home into Attlee as his political career collapsed around him.
Even hard-line supporters of the Labour leader chanted ‘Out, Out, Out,’ and pointed at him with open malice, condemning him for their perception of his treachery.
The members of ‘Hastings’ remained seated, awaiting the final section of their orchestration, the finale which would set Great Britain back on course, and start the process of healing the wounds that Attlee had opened wide.
In the chamber, the voices bounced back and forth, words lost as echoes clashed head-on with echoes, producing an unintelligible cacophony.
Through the wall of sound, a single word emerged, lightly at first, beaten aside in precedence by the noisier neighbours of ‘out’ and ‘shame’, but gradually gaining ground, until it burst forth into everyone’s consciousness and the whole chamber, including those watching from the balcony, were joined together as one.
“Winston, Winston, Winston…”
British politics is not renowned for its swiftness but on this day it was hit by an inexorable whirlwind of targeted activity, commencing with Attlee’s abject resignation, and completed by the forming of a ‘war-duration’ coalition government.
Winston Spencer-Churchill would not install himself in Downing Street until the following day, when the disgraced former incumbent left by the back door and the new Prime Minister could move in and start bringing his special energies to the battles ahead.