Powell, Enoch

▪ 1999

      British scholar and politician (b. June 16, 1912, Birmingham, Eng.—d. Feb. 8, 1998, London, Eng.), was an ardent nationalist noted for his early endorsement of monetarism, his staunch opposition to the European Economic Community, and his controversial rhetoric concerning Britain's nonwhite population. Arguably one of the most brilliant British politicians of his time, Powell never achieved office higher than minister of health (1960-63). His political demise began in 1965 when he captured an embarrassing 15 votes in his bid for the Conservative Party leadership. Three years later he lost his shadow cabinet post as a result of his infamous "Rivers of Blood" speech, in which he argued that Britain was building "its own funeral pyre" by allowing Indian, Pakistani, African, and West Indian immigrants to claim British citizenship through their Commonwealth status. He predicted violent clashes between races—quoting a famous statement by Virgil, "I seem to see the river Tiber foaming with much blood"—and, because he incited Britain's populace, created the atmosphere for such tensions. His bold opinions were also somewhat curious because, as minister of health, Powell had actively recruited Caribbean immigrants to fill hospital positions. Having been a Conservative Wolverhampton MP from 1950 to 1974, Powell ended his political career as an Ulster Unionist representing the Protestant Northern Ireland districts (1974-87). In addition to politics, he engaged in scholarly pursuits, including biblical and classical studies, and wrote poetry. At Trinity College, Cambridge, he was awarded every major classical prize available to undergraduate students, and he studied with the poet and scholar A.E. Housman, whose enormous influence on Powell was reflected in his published poetry. From 1934 to 1938 he was a fellow of Trinity College. A professor of Greek at the University of Sydney, Australia, at the age of 25 and one of the youngest brigadiers ever to serve in the British army, Powell experienced his only failing in the political arena; yet, as he once stated, "All political careers end in failure. No regrets."

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▪ British politician

in full  John Enoch Powell  

born June 16, 1912, Birmingham, Eng.

died Feb. 8, 1998, London

      British politician and member of Parliament, noted for his controversial rhetoric concerning Britain's nonwhite population and for his opposition to the nation's entry into the European Economic Community.

      Powell was the son of schoolteachers of Welsh ancestry. He attended Trinity College, Cambridge, and became a professor of Greek at Australia's University of Sydney at age 25. During World War II he served in the British army, rising from private to brigadier. In 1950 he won a seat in Parliament as a Conservative. He rose through minor posts to minister of health (1960–63) and unsuccessfully challenged Edward Heath for the party's leadership in 1965. On April 20, 1968, in what came to be called his “Rivers of Blood” speech, Powell evoked the British race question. The nationality acts, he argued, were flooding London and Midlands ghettos with Indian, Pakistani, African, and West Indian immigrants, who could claim British citizenship because of their Commonwealth status. In time the influx, he charged, would cause a bloody race war. He also called for voluntary repatriation of these immigrants. As a result of this speech, he was ejected from the shadow Cabinet. In February 1974 he gave up the Wolverhampton seat he had held for 24 years and, from October 1974 to 1987, was returned to Parliament from Protestant Northern Ireland districts.

      Powell wrote a number of books, including such histories as Common Market: The Case Against (1970), Joseph Chamberlain (1977), and A Nation or No Nation?: Six Years in British Politics (1979).

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