{Speakers}[17th November 1970]

[Redbook1:186-187][19701117d]{Speakers}[17th November 1970]

Wed 17/11/70 [continued]

            The right-wing speakers were generally worse speakers but more honest.  Robert Honick’s speech was remarkable, ingenious -- no criticism implied -- and extremely well-argued.  They all started off uncertainly and got better.

            Jim Powell's was remarkable, possibly the best speech of the evening.  Although he suggested abstention, his speech was largely responsible for my voting the way I did.

            The left-wing were all more confident but characterised by slightly dishonest methods of speaking -- even the Bishop of Stepney.  Cheap laughs, false analogies, and other political speakers’ tricks rather spoilt the effects of their speeches for me; what surprised me was that no one else saw through them.

            It is perhaps surprising, in view of this, that I voted against supplying arms to South Africa.  I haven't in fact made up my mind, but on that night Jim Powell convinced me, for a time at least, that it would be politically wrong to supply arms to South Africa.  The other thing was something the Bishop of Stepney said about the real question being why we are supplying arms at all.  For once I agree with what he said, though possibly not with what he meant.

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