John Byrne, Labour MP, Arrives In Marshfield

to get a message; to request smb's presence; to hurry down; to let oneself in; to take a look around; an election poster; to advertise smb; to intend to do smth; to interview constituents; housing problems; indi­vidual problems; to come to the conclusion that; to deal with smth by letter; no point in doing smth; to make excuses; to ignore one's duties; to wonder about the message; to make a guess; to win back one's constit­uents; not to afford to lose one's seat in Parliament;

 

The Committee Members Show Their Attitude

Jimmy March: the Party Secretary; to carry a pile of agendas; avoid smb obviously; to be hostile in one's attitude to smb; to show one's hostility; to make sarcastic remarks;

Charlie Drake: the chairman; anxious; nervous; to be faced with an unpleasant task; to have no reassurance to offer smb; to express the gen­eral attitude; to go with the will of the meeting; not to promise sup­port; to wonder about the best way to handle the matter; not to be keen on smth; to find smth embarrassing;

Committee members: to smile and to nod to smb; to avoid smb inten­tionally; to avoid catching smb's eye; the younger members; to be be­hind the plot; the older members; to sense the atmosphere; to be una­ware of the details;

 

Byrne Senses Danger

an experienced politician; to take in the situation at a glance; to real­ise smth; a prearranged plot on hand; to give way to; to fight down panic; to play for smb's support; to play the game carefully; to watch one's step; to deny everything;

The Heart of the Matter

Ted Collins: to take the floor; to express the general opinion of the meeting; to make a statement concerning a vital matter; to be eager to get on with smth; to be supported by the meeting; to make an accusa­tion; to ask smb to account for' his line of action; to be involved in a series of incidents; to amount to direct betrayal of the cause; to support a program of repressions; a wicked imperialist adventure; to support a reactionary regime in suppressing a democratically elected assembly; to be expected to safeguard democracy; to betray smb; to have no con­fidence in smb; not to stand up for one's principles; to call smb a turncoat; to refuse to put one's trust in smb; to let smb down; to expose smb fully; to move a proposal;

Sarah Robson: to support the charges; to have more proofs; to wish to clear up the matter with smb; to ignore the needs of the constituents; serious complaints; to second the motion;

Alderman Raymond Glen: blunt speaking; to be one's motto; to say smth to a man's face; to get too big for one's boots; to owe smth to smb; to remind smb of his duties;

 

Byrne Decides It is Time to Act

to rise firmly; not to dare allow another speech against himself; to think feverishly; to look for a reasonable explanation; to talk smooth­ly; to account for the incident; an imaginary meeting with the Prime Minister; to invent smth on the spot; to take smb into one's confidence; to give firm promises; to realise that one is sticking his neck out too far; to think of all the possibilities; to make smb responsible for smth; to accuse smb of smth; to deceive smb; to go back on one's word; to invent further explanations; to answer the charge about ignoring the constit­uency; to make one's words sound emphatic, almost sincere; to address public meetings; to make one's contribution to the defeat of the Tories; to invent the figures; to learn from experience; to be effective; to be in no position to check the figures; not to sound convincing; to have a sense of defeat; to deceive no one;

 

The Matter is Put to the Vote

to be on the agenda; to move a proposal; to second the motion; to refuse to withdraw one's motion; a vote of no confidence; to vote by a show of hands; to count the votes; to vote in favour of (against); an ab­stention; the chairman; to sum up the general opinion; to put smb on trial;