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Originally Posted by Edward Longshanks
I often wonder what would have happened if Powell had formed a new party after the famous "Rivers of Blood" speech in 1968. He was approached by the National Front, but declined their invitation, however he had huge support both within and outside the Tory Party. He was also very reluctant to leave the Tories despite the obnoxious Heath and his sell out of this country to Brussels. His eventual choice in joining the Ulster Unionists was a form of compromise as he was seen to both leave the Tories and yet remain within them at the same time.
No one can doubt his powerful oratory and huge intellect, also his magnificent putdowns of careerist nonentities in the Commons who tried to take him on!
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Everything Enoch Powell said on the 'europe' issue was right, is right and has been proved to be right with the passage of time.
I have a book of his views on europe which was signed by him.
However, Enoch Powell always spoke against the setting up of small parties saying that "the solving of the nation's problems cannot be dealt with by establishing new political parties." It was, of course, easy for him to say this - he had joined a small party himself (the Ulster Unionists) but it wasn't a path that was really open to most anti-EU campaigners on the British mainland.
Had Enoch Powell started a new political party (committed to EU withdrawal and the tightest of immigration controls) it would certainly have taken off - the feeling against Heath across the country was hostile (in 1974 when he quit the Conservatives) and Wilson (Labour leader) was not, understandably, trusted. Some would argue that Enoch Powell's refusal to start a new political force in the UK has put the patriotic movement 30 years behind - although UKIP's successes in the EU election of 2004 shook the vile metro 'elitist' establishment in this country to the core. There are people who think Enoch Powell badly let down anti-EU camapigners in Great Britain by not using all his power, influence and skills to set up a new anti-EU party in the mid-70's (around the time of the 'in or out of the EEC/EU referendum).
There is just the unresolved matter of Mr. Powell's views on immigration. Some critics have accused him of 'opening the doors' and bringing a large number of 'new' commonwealth immigrants here himself (when he was Health minister) :shock: .