Letter: Zinoviev myth
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: I am surprised that The Independent should resurrect (22 June) the myth that the Zinoviev letter caused Labour to lose the 1924 general election. All the evidence suggests that there is no way Labour could have won in 1924. They were still a minority party but their vote went up by nearly a million.
The real losers were the Liberals who lost over 100 seats and more than a million votes. The real significance of the 1924 election was that it changed the political landscape from a Conservative- Liberal spectrum to a Conservative-Labour spectrum. One Labour MP at the time said he had never "seen MacDonald put in so sure a stroke" in dishing the Liberals.
Why the Government should be wasting money sending an historian and interpreter to Moscow to try to verify the authenticity or otherwise of the Zinoviev letter is a mystery. Our taxes could be spent more wisely.
PETER MOYES
Brightlingsea, Essex
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments