Campbell Case

In nine cases out of ten you were compelled to join the services after a long fight against poverty and misery caused by prolonged unemployment… Repressive regulations and irksome restrictions are intentionally imposed upon you.

Although the actual motion of censure moved by Sir Robert Horne MP in the terms "That the conduct of His Majesty's Government in relation to the institution and subsequent withdrawal of criminal proceedings against the editor of the 'Workers' Weekly' is deserving of the censure of this House" was expressly rejected by 198 votes to 359, an alternative motion, proposed by Sir John Simon MP, "That a Select Committee be appointed to investigate and report upon the circumstances leading up to the withdrawal of the proceedings recently instituted by the Director of Public Prosecutions against Mr. Campbell", was passed by 364 to 198.

[2] The government, however, had made clear that it regarded both motions as votes of confidence[3] and so British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald requested and obtained a dissolution the following day.

That caused the newly appointed Attorney General Douglas Hogg, with the overt encouragement of the Home Secretary, William Joynson Hicks, to authorise a fresh prosecution under the Incitement to Mutiny Act 1797.

Those receiving the lesser term had all refused an offer by the judge of a non-custodial sentence in return for a declaration that they would not engage in further political activities similar to those which formed the basis of the charges.