British Government wanted to perform a Communist witch-hunt on the BBC - Polidicks

[IMG]http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/138C1/production/_87856008_churchill.jpg[/IMG] [QUOTE]In June 1952, a Conservative MP urged the Prime Minister Winston Churchill to investigate Communist activities in Britain. "We have traitors in our midst," wrote Sir Waldron Smithers, "and although I should deplore suppression of free speech they should be treated as traitors." The letter was contained in one of Churchill's files that has only now been released to the National Archives, more than 60 years later. It was to be closed "indefinitely" according to a note on the front of the brown card cover. Historians believe that's because it concerns MI5 - and it's only in the past few years that their Cold War files have been released to the public. In 1947, Smithers had asked in parliament if the prime minister [then Labour's Clement Attlee] would "set up a committee of this House on Un-British Activities, on the lines of the Committee on Un-American activities". The government refused point blank. Smithers asked if communists would be outlawed and their funds seized. He was again refused.[/QUOTE] [URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35382848"]BBC NEWS[/URL]

"Spy around here!" Seriously I hate this kind of thinking we hate them cause there not us.

[QUOTE=Aide;49610290]"Spy around here!" Seriously I hate this kind of thinking we hate them cause there not us.[/QUOTE] This was shortly after WW2, when Soviet Russia practically steamrolled east Nazi Germany and Stalin was almost as much a cunt as Hitler himself. Ofcourse people were wary of Russian influences.

To be fair, the British government didn't want to do it, an MP in the government wanted to do a witch-hunt.

[QUOTE=The mouse;49610441]To be fair, the British government didn't want to do it, an MP in the government wanted to do a witch-hunt.[/QUOTE] Unfortunately, things like this reflect on the government as a whole, like an employee that did something to put the company in a bad light, ultimately the company is responsible, but the individual who did it is accountable.

[QUOTE=rampageturke 2;49610491]Unfortunately, things like this reflect on the government as a whole, like an employee that did something to put the company in a bad light, ultimately the company is responsible, but the individual who did it is accountable.[/QUOTE] At least they didn't let some crazy idiot like Mcarthy do whatever the hell he wanted with a magical list.

[QUOTE=The mouse;49610441]To be fair, the British government didn't want to do it, an MP in the government wanted to do a witch-hunt.[/QUOTE] And McCarthy was but one senator too

[QUOTE=Sableye;49610579]And McCarthy was but one senator too[/QUOTE] The American administration never shut him down (at first) though, and let him go around destroying people's careers The British government flatly told this guy to fuck off

[QUOTE=rampageturke 2;49610491]Unfortunately, things like this reflect on the government as a whole, like an employee that did something to put the company in a bad light, ultimately the company is responsible, but the individual who did it is accountable.[/QUOTE] But I think the response of the PM reflects more on the government than the actions of one MP.

[QUOTE=V12US;49610416]This was shortly after WW2, when Soviet Russia practically steamrolled east Nazi Germany and Stalin was almost as much a cunt as Hitler himself. Ofcourse people were wary of Russian influences.[/QUOTE] Almost? They both took the cunt dial up to 11. Stalin was just as bad but we had to ignore him because the Reds were too strong to take on directly on their homeland and WW2 sapped the energy out of us. Especially on western Europe.

[QUOTE=David29;49611121]But I think the response of the PM reflects more on the government than the actions of one MP.[/QUOTE] An MP is only a reflection of the their constituents.

[QUOTE=The mouse;49610441]To be fair, the British government didn't want to do it, an MP in the government wanted to do a witch-hunt.[/QUOTE] He wasn't even in the British government at that. He was only an MP, not a Minister. I know this is SH, but it furthers the misnomer that MPs in the Commons are the government, when they aren't.

[QUOTE=Aide;49610290]"Spy around here!" Seriously I hate this kind of thinking we hate them cause there not us.[/QUOTE] People did not fucking hate Communists because they were unfairly prejudiced, they hated Communists because they hold appalling beliefs that sought to destroy the British state. Now, I don't approve of the actions of HUAC or the propositions of this guy, but to say that they were somehow unfairly stigmatised or that fears were unreasonable is absurd.

[QUOTE=Rangergxi;49610530]At least they didn't let some crazy idiot like Mcarthy do whatever the hell he wanted with a magical list.[/QUOTE] Remember that this was also shortly after a couple communist coups in Europe. I'd be wary as well.