George Bernard Shaw used a dinner held in his honor at the House of Commons to express his opposition to the concept of hero-worship. The event, organized by the Parliamentary Labour Party to mark Shaw’s seventieth birthday, took place on the evening of July 26, 1926, and was attended by numerous prominent political figures including the Right Hon. J. Ramsay MacDonald, who chaired the gathering.

In his remarks, Shaw described himself as an “extraordinarily clever fellow” but rejected being labeled a “great man,” a characterization he found troubling and indicative of broader societal idolatry. He argued that the veneration of individuals as “great men” was outdated and harmful, suggesting that if society could eliminate this obsession, it might also rid itself of the notion of “great nations” and achieve greater happiness. Shaw referenced Shakespeare and the disparate ways he was remembered, highlighting a bricklayer’s tribute as a model of sincere appreciation free from idolatry.

The dinner also featured a toast proposed by Mr. MacDonald, who addressed recent reports claiming the British Broadcasting Company had refused to broadcast Shaw’s speech. MacDonald clarified that the company had not declined but was ready to cancel a scheduled concert to accommodate Shaw’s address. However, the government imposed conditions that Shaw not speak on controversial public topics, a demand MacDonald rejected on principle. He criticized the government’s decision as a reflection of “smallness of mind” and an inability to understand public sentiment, resulting in Shaw being barred from broadcast.

Shaw echoed this criticism, attributing the broadcasting ban to government attempts to silence dissenting voices within the opposition. He likened the government’s restrictions to earlier, failed foreign policy initiatives, including a controversial plan to manipulate Egypt’s water supply by damming the Nile. Shaw viewed the government’s censorship as an effort to suppress ideas rather than individual dissent. He emphasized that free speech—inclusive of controversial discourse—is fundamental to parliamentary democracy, a principle he believed the government was failing to uphold.

Throughout the evening, Shaw’s remarks combined humor and pointed political commentary, drawing both laughter and applause. He also reflected on the legacy of liberalism and radicalism, lamenting the decline of the Liberal Party and contrasting its traditions of reform and revolution with those of the emerging Communist movement.

The event underscored Shaw’s enduring role as a provocative intellectual and critic of both societal conventions and government overreach on the eve of his eighth decade.