SCOTTISH COMMUNISTS, 1956-57

The Khrushchev secret speech of February 1956 and the Soviet invasion of Hungary in November constituted a traumatic shock to British Commun ists, resulting in deep public discredit, unprecedented rank-and-file dissent and the loss of one member in four. The Scottish section of th e Party, which had enjoyed a stronger trade union and local government influence than its English counterpart, showed, with variations, the same general pattern of development. Its leading bodies followed the l ine of playing down the Khrushchev revelations and endorsing the invas ion of Hungary, despite objections at different levels of the Scottish Party. Consequently, it was faced with a breakaway movement which for a time eclipsed it in its mining stronghold of West Fife, as well as a broader mood of demoralization.