SPEAK FOR ENGLAND, ARTHUR!: Today is the 79th anniversary of one of the most electrifying moments in Parliamentary history.
It was the day after Hitler’s armies had swept into Poland. But Neville Chamberlain was still vacillating. German aircraft were screaming over Poland, but the Prime Minister hadn’t yet entirely given up on the power of diplomacy. His speech before Parliament was careful … much too careful. He declared, “the government is in a somewhat difficult position.”
Ordinarily, Clement Attlee as Labor leader would have had the responsibility for responding to such a speech. But Attlee was elsewhere that day, so the job fell to Yorkshire M.P. Arthur Greenwood as deputy. “Speak for the workers! Speak for the workers!” shouted the Labor back benchers. Greenwood began his speech by announcing that he was speaking for Labor.
Out of the chaos, rang the voice of Leo Amery, a Conservative M.P. from Birmingham South. “Speak for England, Arthur!”
Party loyalties no longer mattered. Nor did class. Greenwood was the son of a house painter. Amery was the son of a colonial officer. The two M.P.s couldn’t have been more different.
Prior to September 2, 1939, Greenwood had never been regarded as a gifted speaker (and indeed never was again). But that day was different. Uncharacteristically, he spoke off the cuff. “We must march with the French,” he declared to enthusiastic applause. “The moment we look like weakening, at that moment dictatorship knows we are beaten. We are not beaten. We shall not be beaten.”
A state of war was declared the next day.