The Economist:

“Rivers of blood”: the lasting legacy of a poisonous speech

Enoch Powell’s words in 1968 changed the course of Britain’s debate on race—but not in the way he expected

ON APRIL 20th 1968 Enoch Powell rose to give a speech before an audience of Conservative Party activists in the Midland Hotel in Birmingham. Normally such an occasion, on a Saturday afternoon, would have attracted little attention. But the shadow defence secretary, dressed formally, as ever, in a three-piece suit, had other ideas. Powell had invited the TV cameras, and promised one journalist that his speech was “going to go up, ‘fizz’, like a rocket; but whereas all rockets fall to Earth, this one is going to stay up.” He was right.

This was Powell’s “rivers of blood” speech, so named after the peroration. It was a direct and provocative assault on immigration from the Commonwealth, quoting the fears of one constituent that “in 15 or 20 years’ time, the black man will have the whip hand over the white man.” It caused outrage at the time—Powell was sacked from the Tories’ front bench—and still does. Many objected even to an actor reading out his words in a recent BBC radio programme to mark the anniversary.

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