Churchill once said that the the socialists would eventually be “unwept, unhonored, unsung, and unhung.”
Early on in the House of Commons the young Churchill had been something of a “radical” among the Conservatives. An older conservative said Churchill, who had recently been in South Africa, must have contracted a native disease–one of whose symptoms was an abnormal swelling of the head.
Churchill didn’t answer, but he got up and went to sit with the Liberals.
Another time, Sir Winston had the floor when another Conservative went to sit with a different party, perhaps the Socialists, perhaps the Liberals.
Churchill quipped, “Gentlemen, this is the first time I ever saw a rat swimming toward a sinking ship.”
He wasn’t too happy with the Labour Party, in particular Welshman Aneurin (uh-NYE-rin) Bevan, Labour MP for Ebbw Vale. The House was discussing recognizing Communist China. Bevan had been speaking against it, in fact, he was quite an outspoken MP in his own right. But Sir Winston favored recognition “…inasmuch as we had considerable interests there,” and other reasons. “But just because you recognize someone does not necessarly mean you like him. We all, for example, recognize the Right Honourable Member for Ebbw Vale.” 