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Chancellor of the Exchequer James Callaghan fared even worse for some injudicious remarks. He suggested in a Swansea speech that some Conservative M.P.s were spokesmen in Commons for special interest groups in the City, such as "investment trusts" and "capital speculators." The Tories angrily demanded the Commons Speaker cite Callaghan for "gross contempt." Despite the Chancellor's abject plea on the floor that "nothing in my speech at Swansea was designed, intended or meant to reflect on the House of Commons—nothing at all," at week's end Callaghan found himself to his—and Wilson's—embarrassment facing the House's Committee of Privileges on contempt charges.
*The Labor ambush was engineered by Britain's present Paymaster-General, George Wigg, who concealed his "absent" M.P.s in small groups around Westminster: some in the palace crypt, others in the nearby flat of Labor Braintruster Richard Crossman. They emerged on signal to defeat the Tories on a minor piece of legislation concerning pharmaceutical glass.