Rhys Williams for "imbecility" in suggesting that the west had been 'at war' with Russia since 1945. The tone degenerated further when Rhys Williams contrasted Bevan and Foot to Foot's disfavour as he "comes before the Welsh public with an uncongenial armoury of hatred and malicious propaganda". Foot replied denouncing Rhys Williams' "patronising snobbery and pin-headed intellectual capacity". In the late campaign, Rhys Williams frequently reminded voters that the electoral system was absolutely secret. Labour reported that its canvass returns indicated that Foot would get 75% of the vote and a 15,000 majority. Plaid campaign Plaid Cymru entered the campaign with optimism, with Roberts declaring that it was "our great opportunity". He brought across an Irish economist, Tomás MacGabhann, who explained how small independent countries could be prosperous. His campaign was said to be the only one suffused with humour, as when he declared "If you think Wales is not a nation you must be Hitler's uncle"; he was reliably predicted to be bottom of the poll. Result A heavy downpour of rain on the days before the poll gave bad omens to Foot's wife Jill Craigie who blamed the rain for her husband's loss of Devonport in 1955. The votes were counted and the result declared on the day after the poll. Foot hailed his win as being the product of a campaign "fought... on a clear policy of socialism and a demand for a new foreign policy which repudiates nuclear strategy altogether". That the result was seen as a good one for Foot and a problem for Gaitskell was shown by a cartoon by 'Vicky' which depicted Gaitskell reading the result and saying "Oh dear, we've won". Foot retained the seat, which was renamed Blaenau Gwent in 1983, until he retired from Parliament in 1992. References History of Blaenau Gwent Ebbw Vale by-election Elections in Monmouthshire By-elections to the Parliament of the United Kingdom in Welsh constituencies Ebbw Vale by-election 1960s elections in Wales Ebbw Vale by-election Michael Foot