Has Enoch Powell been vindicated ?

[derekpara]

A bit of a leading question, but do you think Enoch Powell's 'Rivers of Blood' speech in the 1960s (I think) was justified, and has he now been vindicted ?

[derekpara]

As the author of this thread let me thank you all for your answers, and contribute to the discussion.

I fully appreciate the benefits to this country created by immigrants over the past fifty years; the corner shops open to all hours, the invaluable hospital staff etc etc. I also work with many muslim and other ethnic minorities who are extremely hard working - and some are my personal friends. But if I were given the choice of having things as they are today, or going back to the time when England was, by and large, populated by indiginous people. I would rather lose those friends and the other benefits of immigration, for a country free from fear.

We would be able to pay our own people a decent wage to work in hospitals and so on by refraining from invading other countries and saving on an enormous welfare bill.

[sp1814]

Where would the National Health Services, industry, transport services and ancilliary services be without my parents? Immigrants who came to this country in the 1950s to fill labour shortages?

People who love this country and brought up their kids to do well at school, get decent jobs and respect those around them?

It's easy to label problems along racial lines, but I don't remember anyone demanding the same level of vitriol during the poll tax riots or miners' strike.

The 'send them all back' mentality is a step backwards. Try not to be influenced by extremists on either side people...it makes fools out of all of us.

[bondy]

What rivers of blood? Oh the ones in Iraq. You have to be positive in life! Predicting disaster can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
What about all the British immigrants all over Europe and the world trashing the Costa del Sol?

[derekpara]

What 'Rivers of Blood'? The ones in Cavendish Square for a start ! And a lot of British people who have emigrated have done so because they are fed up with what is happening in this country. As for the Brits in the Costas, they are taking money there and spending it - not blowing up the locals !

There, now you've made me sound 'vitriolic', and I don't mean to be. I have no grudge against honest, hard working immigrants who respect the British way of life- and I have altready acknowledged their contribution to this country. I'ts the small minority of dangerous extremists spreading hate to the young and gullible who worry me and who I want dealt with

[LazyGun]

No and No

[bernardo]

derekpara wrote:

I fully appreciate the benefits to this country created by immigrants over the past fifty years; the corner shops open to all hours, the invaluable hospital staff etc etc. I also work with many muslim and other ethnic minorities who are extremely hard working - and some are my personal friends. But if I were given the choice of having things as they are today, or going back to the time when England was, by and large, populated by indiginous people. I would rather lose those friends and the other benefits of immigration, for a country free from fear.

The UK (including England) still is "by and large populated by indigenous people". 95% of the UK population was born in the UK and only 5% are immigrants.

"Free from fear"? Does this include the fear of casual homophobia, sexism, racism, discrimination in employment and housing, and people like Miss Masrple going around the countryside massacring people?

[jareth]

of course he has - surely if he had have been listened to then we would not be in this mess now