Laudator Temporis Acti

Martin Gilbert, ed., Churchill: The Power of Words (London: Bantam Press, 2012), p. 167:

Churchill spoke again, turning his attention to the Communist Party candidate, William Gallacher, and his followers:

'If about a hundred young men and women in the audience choose to spoil the whole meeting, and if about a hundred of these young reptiles — (cheers and uproar) — choose to deny to democracy, the masses of the people, the power to conduct great assemblies, the fault is with them, the blame is with them, and the punishment will be administered to them by the electors. (Cheers and booing.) Now you see what the Gallacher crowd are worth. (Cheers and uproar.) Now you see the liberty you have if the country were run by them — (cheers and interruptions) — no sense, no brains, just breaking up a meeting that they would not have the wit to address. (Cheers.) The electors will know how to deal with a party whose only weapon is idiotic clamour.' (Cheers.)

Id., p. 168:

'The howling mob intensified their efforts in producing a perfect rabble of vocal discord', the Dundee Courier reported. Churchill remained seated during the outcry. Finally, while the noise continued unabated, he rose, in the hope of saying a few concluding words. According to the Dundee Courier:

His opening sentence was marked by an effort to sing the 'Red Flag', but it soon died away.

He said — Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you most sincerely for the attentive hearing — (applause) — you have given me, and I think you have vindicated in a most effective manner the devotion of the Socialist party to free speech. You have shown, it has been shown, clearly that a handful of rowdies can break up a great meeting, and can then prevent ten times their number from transacting their public business. (Applause.) We may be interrupted here tonight, but we will carry out our purpose at the poll. (Applause.) We will stand up for the rights of British citizens, the rights and liberties of British citizens against the supporters of the Socialist candidates who, if they have their way, would reduce — (uproar) — this great country to the same bear garden to which they have reduced this great meeting. (Applause, and booing.)

Related post: The "No Platform" Movement.