Don’t mention Enoch
Nigel Hastilow’s real crime was to dare to mention Enoch Powell at all
The politically correct have declared Powell an unperson
Enoch Powell, in 1968, eschewed Norse mythology when considering the question of immigration and opted instead for Virgil. The river Tiber, foaming with blood, etc. This was a very infamous speech and no matter how delicately you might refer to it in polite company, it is likely to cost you your job. It is, I suppose, what we might call an iconic speech which has long since ceased to mean what Powell intended it to mean. It would not surprise me if Virgil has been banned from one or two universities on account of racist guilt by association. No Platform for Roman Racist Filth! Certainly no sensible politician quotes Virgil anymore. And one can only mention the name of Enoch Powell if a suitably contemptuous epithet follows directly after. There may be a strong undercurrent of British public opinion which murmurs to itself ‘Enoch was right’ every so often, but it is an uncivilised opinion which should be discounted without further thought.
And so, Nigel Hastilow, the Conservative candidate for a place called Halesowen and Rowley Regis, has been dumped by David Cameron merely for mentioning the words ‘Enoch’ and ‘Powell’ in the same sentence. I have scoured the article within which Mr Hastilow addressed the topic of immigration and cannot find a single statement which does not accord with the Conservative party’s current (it may have shifted by the time you read this, of course) position on the issue. It seems to be just those words ‘Enoch’ and ‘Powell’.
According to the press, Hastilow was binned by Cameron for having suggested, in the manner of a cab driver, that Enoch was right. But this is not quite what he said. The crucial passage of his article reads as follows: ‘When you ask most people in the Black Country what the single biggest problem facing the country is, most say immigration.’ He went on to add that ‘many insist that Enoch Powell was right’. Later, in his article, Hastilow said he thought that Powell had been right to assert that mass immigration has ‘changed dramatically’ the society we live in.
Now, I can see nothing in those words which does not accord precisely with the latest policy adopted by David Cameron. It seems to me moderately expressed — understated, even. Further, for most of his article Hastilow was reporting the views of, presumably, his constituents — and not necessarily agreeing with them. And in being sacked for reporting these views he was in a similar position to the Conservative MP Patrick Mercer, who was also sacked for having reported what he had seen or heard — namely, that in the British army white recruits sometimes called black recruits stuff like ‘black bastard’ and that this was a nasty thing to do and should be stopped. Both Hastilow and Mercer were reporting what they had heard — and it was enough to lose them their jobs.
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Ioannes Hiberniensis
November 8th, 2007 7:16pmAn "oppportunist"? What an extraordinary comment. I would have thought that opportunist was the last thing one would call Enoch Powell. The man's life is a textbook case in how to destroy one's career through truth-telling.
JohnC
November 10th, 2007 8:41amThe very best article todate I have read on the true nature of the sorry current state of public discussion about immigration. You have hit the nail on the head, political dicourse only using PC grammer, any deviation or use of the word Enoch! you are branded a racist, xenophobic, Nazi sympathiser. Being married to an Asian(lady), how sad I feel compelled to preface this statement on uncontrolled immigration before going public about its impact on social cohesion,stress on public services due to Central Government in denial to the reality of the numbers already here. The travisty for me about 10 years of Labour is how our service personnel are dying in foreign fields to "protect" our way of life while at home an open door policy allows untold numbers in to create this multicultural Nivahna and the greatest upheaval in our population mix since the Saxon,Viking raids of the post Roman era. Enoch Powell was an arrogant brilliant intellectual who valued absolute truth and rigerous logic but moved in the toxic enviroment of politics, where mendacity and obsfucation is the norm.
L Stewart
November 11th, 2007 2:38amMr Liddle is right in everything he says, including advice on immigration to each & every Tory hopeful that "there is almost nothing you can say about it which will be risk-free - so better by far just shut your mouth and not mention it at all." Of course, our Ron may be 'tongue in cheek', but most typical New Conservatives will do just that. Let's not damage our gracefully ageing or shiny new careers. Leave it to the BNP to say it all, they don't have fabulous salaries and wonderful allowances to lose. Principles ? Concern for the very destruction of the British nation ? Please. Don't be so naive.
Noela Fraser
November 11th, 2007 3:02amWhat a mess the UK is in because politicians no longer consider the views of the people they are supposed to represent. A plague on them all.
Bill Cass
November 11th, 2007 8:35amA fine article and some highly interesting comments. Enoch Powell was by no means a political opportunist.For those who can remember,he was making highly controversil speeches for many years before 1968 and even those like me who at the time rarely agreed with him found him usually at least intersting and always very precise in his use of words.Speaking as someone who has been in a mixed marriage and whose own children are a very attractive ethnic cocktail,I can claim at least not to be racist even as I acknowledge that on many issues Powell has proved right.It seems to me that there is an underlying racism in those who refuse to discuss an issue openly - as if it touches some deep guilt feelings they would prefer not to explore. On a course in France in the early eighties, I found myself the only white guest at an all- night drinks party thrown by a large group of black students from various parts of Africa.It was not until the early hours of the morning that I realised I was the only white guest when I found myself defending some actions of the Empire.In this position, I accused my hosts themselves of being racist and asked why there were no other white guests.The reply: You are the only one who just says what you believe without embarrassment. I think we would all prefer honest discussion to furtive PC.
Robert James Watkins
November 11th, 2007 5:19pmCouldn't agree more. I have e-mailed the local Conservative Association to complain. David Cameron should be ashamed of himself. I only wish I was as literate as Ron Liddle, and capable of putting my opinion (and that of most of my friends and work colleagues)more strongly without being offensive.
Ollamh Fodhla
November 11th, 2007 7:57pmPolitics used to be War by other means, Jaw-Jaw, Sticks n Stones...; now it is about self-censorship, evading the shocking truth, spin (sorry deception) and touchy-feely inuendo. The Tory high command, by its sacking of two honest candidates who only articulate, in moderate language, what the reasonable voters are telling them, is only encouraging massive native Celto-Saxon frustration and future horrible Civil War. Sack the Camerooons instead!
Afagddu
November 16th, 2007 9:13amExcellent article, and some very timely (if depressing) comment from Richard Dell, Chingford Man, John C etc. The task of emasculated policitians is made infinitely easier with the aid of a collusive and mendacious press and media. In my opinion the BBC has much to answer for. Typically, it "addresses" awkward questions relating to its own betrayal of the public interest by invoking derogations which effectively dismiss such questions as inadmissible. So much for openness and accountability.
Rosemary Gitsham
November 16th, 2007 10:15amNigel Hastilow was quite right, and so was Enoch Powell all those years ago. It is the fault of the government which has let this country get in such a mess. You cannot blame the immigrants, illegal or legal for trying to get a better life in a country that bends over backwards to give them all they need. But the Government should consider the needs of its indigenous citizens before those of the wider world.