[Letter to Mr Minoo Masani]

Summary

This one-page letter, dated 3 August 1965 and signed by Vernon Dawson on Liberal International letterhead, is addressed to Minoo Masani. Dawson acknowledges Masani’s letter about two Swatantra Party members of the Indian Parliament, Deo and Singh, visiting England. He explains that he had already met them for lunch and had written to liberal contacts in Canada, the United States, the Philippines, and Japan to help arrange introductions during their wider international tour.

Dawson presents the visit as an opportunity for the parliamentarians to seek liberal views and influences. He notes that, because he initially did not know their exact titles, he wrote subsequent letters to the relevant contacts to clarify their status and facilitate the social dimension of the visit. He expresses hope that Masani will approve this action and adds that Richard Moore could not meet the visitors because he was on holiday in France.

Key points

• The letter is dated 3 August 1965 and was sent from Liberal International in London.
• Vernon Dawson writes to Minoo Masani about the overseas visit of two Swatantra Party members of the Indian Parliament.
• Dawson had received a telephone call from the visitors and hosted them for lunch on 30 July.
• The visitors had travelled through France and Germany and planned to continue to Canada, the United States, the Philippines, and Japan.
• Dawson contacted liberal figures in those countries to advise them of the parliamentarians’ tour.
• The stated purpose of the tour was to seek liberal views and influences.
• Dawson explains that he had to act without initially knowing the visitors’ exact parliamentary titles.