"Cripps seems quite unable to see the argument that he is damaging the party electorally. It is all ‘misreporting’, or picking sentences out of their context. He has become very vain and seems to think that only he and his cronies know what Socialism is or how it should be preached. His gaffes cover an immense range – Buckingham Palace – League of Nations – ‘compelling’ Unions to declare a General Strike – prolonging Parliament beyond five years...‘seize land, finance and industry’ (without compensation?) – Emergency Powers Bill in one day, giving ‘all necessary powers’...I make a violent – perhaps too violent – speech asking that this stream of oratorical ineptitudes should now cease...It is the number of these gaffes which is so appalling. Our candidates are being stabbed in the back and pushed onto the defensive. Tory HQ regard him as their greatest electoral asset...Attlee says I am like a pedagogue addressing a pupil. I wish the pupil were a bit brighter."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Members of the Parliament of the United KingdomFellows of the Royal SocietyLawyers from EnglandLabour Party (UK) politiciansChancellors of the Exchequer
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Hugh Dalton, diary entry (January 1934), quoted in David Marquand, "Maximum Embarrassment", London Review of Books Vol. 9 No. 9 (7 May 1987).
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Stafford_Cripps
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Stafford Cripps
Sir Richard Stafford Cripps (24 April 1889 – 21 April 1952) was a British Labour Party politician, barrister, and diplomat. He served as British Ambassador to the Soviet Union at the beginning of World War II, and later joined Prime Minister Winston Churchill's war cabinet. He later served as President of the Board of Trade and Chancellor of the Exchequer under Prime Minister Clement Attlee.
37 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Stafford Cripps →
Related Quotes
"The [Labour] Government's first step will be to call Parliament together at the earliest moment and place before it a…"
"In 1919 we pledged our honour as a country that we would disarm as soon as possible, and other countries did the same…"
"I do not believe in private armies but if the Fascists started a private army it might be for the Socialist and Commu…"
"The problem of dealing with the armed forces of the Crown is the most difficult one we will have to face when we do g…"
"But it is a fallacy, if one is examining the methods by which security can be attained, to start upon the assumption,…"
"I cannot imagine the Labour Party coming into power without a first-rate financial crisis. That is why we ask for ful…"
"It must be the duty of the next Labour Government in power to make an immediate challenge to the capitalist system an…"
"Though we have achieved considerable success in our policy of increasing production and maintaining full employment, …"
"His Majesty's Government have not the slightest intention of devaluing the pound."
"Unless during the first five years so great a degree of change has been accomplished as to deprive Capitalism of its …"