864.00/10–1945: Telegram
The Charge in the United Kingdom (Gallman) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11 p.m.]
10971. Foreign Office official today made following remarks about impending Hungarian elections:
Voroshilov’s advice Hungarian party leaders that there should be a single list of candidates is worst thing that could have happened except holding of no elections. His action no doubt results from Budapest municipal elections which indicated way country would go if elections were to be free. Similar results in national elections would mean that present composition of Hungarian Govt of 7 Leftist members and 6 Moderates would have to be altered to advantage of Moderates.
First impact on Foreign Office of Voroshilov’s step is that recognition by British may be held up for some time as Hungarian Govt will not be fulfilling its pledges of free elections. Furthermore British probably will not receive any Hungarian representative in England until situation is clarified. No blame is attached to Hungarian Govt itself as this situation has been created entirely by Soviets.
Gascoigne will be given instructions to urge Hungarian Govt to resist this Russian pressure.37
Sent to Department as 10971; repeated to Budapest as 13.
- Telegram 808, October 22, 4 p.m., from Budapest, reported that a Hungarian Foreign Office informant stated that Gascoigne told Foreign Minister Gyöngyösi on October 19 that a common Hungarian electoral list would delay British Government’s acceptance of an unofficial Hungarian representative in London (864.00/10–2245).↩