Enoch Powell

The Right Honourable
Enoch Powell
MBE
The Right Honourable Enoch Powell MBE
	1987 portrait
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
	In office; 7 July 1965 – 21 April 1968
Leader	Edward Heath
Preceded by	Peter Thorneycroft
Succeeded by	Reginald Maudling
Minister of Health
	In office; 27 July 1960 – 18 October 1963
Prime Minister	Harold Macmillan
Preceded by	Derek Walker-Smith
Succeeded by	Anthony Barber
Financial Secretary to the Treasury
	In office; 14 January 1957 – 15 January 1958
Prime Minister	Harold Macmillan
Preceded by	Henry Brooke
Succeeded by	Jack Simon
Preceded by	In office; 10 October 1974 – 18 May 1987
Parliamentary offices
Member of Parliament; for South Down
	In office; 10 October 1974 – 18 May 1987
Preceded by	Lawrence Orr
Succeeded by	Eddie McGrady
Member of Parliament; for Wolverhampton South West
	In office; 23 February 1950 – 8 February 1974
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Nicholas Budgen
Personal details
Born	John Enoch Powell; 16 June 1912; Birmingham, England
Died	8 February 1998 (aged 85); London, England
Resting place	Warwick Cemetery, Warwick, England
Political party	Conservative (1947–1974); Ulster Unionist (1974–1987);
Spouse	Pamela Wilson (m. 1952)
Children	2
Education	Trinity College, Cambridge; School of Oriental Studies;
Military service
Branch/service	British Army
Years of service	1939–1945
Rank	Brigadier
Unit	Royal Warwickshire Regiment; General Service Corps; Intelligence Corps;
Battles/wars	Second World War - North African campaign; - India;
Awards	Member of the Order of the British Empire (1943)

John Enoch Powell MBE (16 June 1912 – 8 February 1998) was a British politician, scholar, and writer. He served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Wolverhampton South West for the Conservative Party from 1950 to February 1974 and as MP for South Down for the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) from October 1974 to 1987. He was Minister of Health from 1960 to 1963 in the second Macmillan ministry and was Shadow Secretary of State for Defence from 1965 to 1968 in the Shadow Cabinet of Ted Heath. Before entering politics he was a classical scholar. He served in both staff and intelligence positions during the Second World War, reaching the rank of brigadier. Powell also wrote poetry, and several books on classical and political subjects.

In 1968, while serving as Shadow Defence Secretary, Powell attracted attention nationwide for his "Rivers of Blood" speech, in which he criticised immigration to the UK, especially rapid immigration from the New Commonwealth, and opposed the anti-discrimination Race Relations Bill (which ultimately became law). The speech was criticised by some of Powell's own party members^[1] and The Times.^[2] Heath, who was then the leader of the Conservative Party and the leader of the Opposition, dismissed Powell from the Shadow Cabinet the day after the speech.

In the aftermath of the speech several polls suggested that 67 to 82 per cent of the British population agreed with Powell's opinions.^[3]^[4]^[5] His supporters argued that Powell's large public following^[6]^[7] helped the Conservatives to win the 1970 general election,^[8] and perhaps cost them the February 1974 general election,^[9] when Powell turned his back on the Conservatives by endorsing a vote for the Labour Party, which returned as a minority government. Powell was returned to the House of Commons in October 1974 as the Ulster Unionist Party MP for the Northern Ireland constituency of South Down. He represented the constituency until he was defeated at the 1987 general election.

^ Heffer 1998, p. 461
^ Editorial comment, The Times, 22 April 1968.
^ Shepherd 1994, p. 352.
^ Schwarz, Bill (2011), The White Man's World, OUP Oxford, p. 48, ISBN 9780199296910, So far as these can tell us anything, the opinion polls following the speech provide an indication of the scale of popular support. Gallup recorded 74 per cent, ORC 82 per cent, NOP 67 per cent, and the Express 79 per cent in favour of what Powell had proposed in Birmingham.
^ Garvey, Bruce (4 June 2008). "Part 2: Enoch Powell and the 'Rivers of Blood' speech". The Ottawa Citizen. Canada.com. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
^ Dumbrell, John (2001), A Special Relationship, Macmillan, pp. 34–35, ISBN 9780333622490, A Feb 1969 Gallup poll showed Powell the 'most admired person' in British public opinion
^ OnTarget, vol. 8, ALOR, archived from the original on 19 February 2011, retrieved 2 January 2011
^ Heffer 1998, p. 568.
^ Heffer 1998, pp. 710–712.

[1] Heffer 1998, p. 461

[2] Editorial comment, The Times, 22 April 1968.

[Shepherd_1994,_p._352-3] Shepherd 1994, p. 352.

[4] Schwarz, Bill (2011), The White Man's World, OUP Oxford, p. 48, ISBN 9780199296910, So far as these can tell us anything, the opinion polls following the speech provide an indication of the scale of popular support. Gallup recorded 74 per cent, ORC 82 per cent, NOP 67 per cent, and the Express 79 per cent in favour of what Powell had proposed in Birmingham.

[5] Garvey, Bruce (4 June 2008). "Part 2: Enoch Powell and the 'Rivers of Blood' speech". The Ottawa Citizen. Canada.com. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2012.

[dumbrell-6] Dumbrell, John (2001), A Special Relationship, Macmillan, pp. 34–35, ISBN 9780333622490, A Feb 1969 Gallup poll showed Powell the 'most admired person' in British public opinion

[alor-7] OnTarget, vol. 8, ALOR, archived from the original on 19 February 2011, retrieved 2 January 2011

[FOOTNOTEHeffer1998568-8] Heffer 1998, p. 568.

[FOOTNOTEHeffer1998710–712-9] Heffer 1998, pp. 710–712.

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