The last time the Right Honourable Gentleman raised the accusation about the policies of this government forcing his constituents to resort to inedible foods-in that case, as I remember, it was ants, earwigs, and glowworms-the National Health looked very seriously into the matter, and their inspectors. . . . Division! Division! cried out some who had got the scent of blood, and Mallet Scuffs himself, successfully diverted, cried out, Weevils, too! Weevils and grubs! Their inspectors. . . . Weevils, too, weevils and grubs! Weevils, too, weevils and grubs! chanted a Marxist anti-missile faction.
The speaker refers to an earlier accusation made by a Member of Parliament regarding government policies that forced his constituents to consume inedible foods, specifically naming ants, earwigs, and glowworms. The National Health took this claim seriously and involved their inspectors to investigate the issue, implying that the situation warranted scrutiny given its absurdity. This sets a humorous tone, highlighting the extreme nature of the complaint against government actions.
The response from the audience captures the chaos and farce of the debate, as some members passionately reacted by calling out additional inedible items like weevils and grubs. The mention of a "Marxist anti-missile faction" adds another layer of absurdity to the scene, emphasizing how discussions can become sidetracked by theatrical and exaggerated reactions. Overall, the excerpt illustrates the interplay between serious topics and the absurdity that often accompanies political discourse.
