ARmy Rumour SErvice

**Tremaine** · 14-06-2012, 21:42

Enoch Powell, born 100 years ago this week. I have no sympathies with Enoch Powell but I wonder, how would he have faired in politics today and how many of those in Westminster, or local government, have his kind of integrity and courage?

Pariah, WW2 Brigadier, Professor, and controversial politician. Described as a man of integrity, but often noted merely as a fine soldier, a right wing Tory, and for his rivers of blood speech.

But as The Telegraph writes, Powell seems more modern than most politicians. Powell bitterly opposed the European Community and in his ill considered, impromptu Birmingham speech 1968 also described terrible consequences for UK immigration. Promptly undoing contemporary race relations work, causing a wave of support for him, and (justified) alarm among immigrants.

Powell received his cards from Ted Heath's Shadow Cabinet. Private and considered opinions on immigration were one thing. Public "racism"and even perhaps incitement , quite another. "Wrong", either on moral or political grounds, it mattered not then, and it matters not today. Notionally, the subject, and challenge to immigration and its economic effects, remain taboo.

Once asked in an unguarded moment during an interview how often he went to Ireland he replied that he never went to Ireland but frequently went to Ulster. The Harrods bombing and ongoing atrocities, he blamed on 'double talk and double-dealing on the part of Britain which has kept the IRA and their fellow murderers in business these last dozen years.'

Sure, times change, laws come in and laws are abolished, Europe, the UK, and the legal system may be very different in 2012. How many of Powell's political beliefs and agendas are still valid today, in modern politics. And how should history remember him after all these years?

**sunnoficarus** · 14-06-2012, 22:01

Powell had all the things politicians lack today.
Courage, intellect, principles and conviction.

**skid2** · 14-06-2012, 22:11

I would have worked for him as South Downs MP.
I would have disagreed with him though. Always thought well of him. Compared to the rest of what we have here

**duckieone** · 14-06-2012, 22:19

Apart from the immigration thing, he held very progressive social views. He was also very pro free market. One of the first tory libertarians, as opposed to the traditional one nation conservatives like Heath. Unfortunately, history seems to view him as a racist, which is complete nonsense.

**Victorian_Major** · 14-06-2012, 22:23

If he's believed to be such an intellect, by the same logic he must be held accountable for his infamous speech which he must have known would be a bigot-magnet for 50 years.

So either he was a damned fool or revealing a nasty side. A shame, but of his own making.

**brighton hippy** · 14-06-2012, 22:24

River of blood was a speach that went way over the heads of who it was aimed at.
Bloke was a very clever bloke and had integrity.
not sure he was actually right though.

**Grubby Bum III** · 14-06-2012, 22:33

The Telegraph's offering by Peter Oborne yesterday (Behind Enoch Powell's monstrous image lay a man of exceptional integrity - Telegraph) seems to sum up Powell's impact succinctly, but Oborne's view on the failure of his prediction that gutters would overflow in blood as a result of immigration policies may well be misplaced - they may well not have happened YET. In fact, there may be signs that it is not far off ......

**exile1** · 14-06-2012, 22:35

I've always said that the spineless Tory party at the time, in a two horse race, voted in that old traitorous old poof Heath as leader instead of Powell because they hated the fact that he was a bigger man than them in every way and were scared of him and his intellect. I don't think he would have done a deal to get rid of our fishing grounds to Europe and I suspect that the country would be a finer place if they had had the guts to make him head shed.

**DPM_Sheep** · 14-06-2012, 22:37

Originally Posted by Victorian_Major

If he's believed to be such an intellect, by the same logic he must be held accountable for his infamous speech which he must have known would be a bigot-magnet for 50 years.

So either he was a damned fool or revealing a nasty side. A shame, but of his own making.

I'd agree but that does raise an interesting point. If he was a damned fool for speaking his mind, why are we disgusted when politicians double talk all the time?

**DPM_Sheep** · 14-06-2012, 22:39

Originally Posted by Grubby Bum III

but Oborne's view on the failure of his prediction that gutters would overflow in blood as a result of immigration policies may well be misplaced - they may well not have happened YET. In fact, there may be signs that it is not far off ......

Debatable. I saw some pretty bloody gutters in Tavistock Square....