NHS-hating Tory Daniel Hannan at centre of racist storm

[Flash]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-st...an-at-centre-of-racist-storm-115875-21627078/

Mr Hannan, who sparked the NHS row, hailed racist Enoch Powell as a key political influence in an interview with a right-wing US internet site.

When asked about his influences, the Euro MP said: "In the British context, Enoch Powell.

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"He was... somebody who understood the importance of national democracy, who understood why you need to live in an independent country and what it meant, as well as being a free marketeer and a small government Conservative."

Mr Hannan caused a public outcry when he branded the NHS a "60-year-mistake" that he "wouldn't wish it on anyone".

Nigel Hastilow was forced to quit as a Tory Parliamentary candidate two years ago after claiming Powell, famous for his "rivers of blood" speech, was "right" on immigration.

Tory leader David Cameron last night faced calls to distance himself from Mr Hannan. A party spokesman refused to comment on the remarks.

 

[BlackTerrel]

Who is Enoch Powell and what "right wing website" was he speaking to?

 

[Flash]

Who is Enoch Powell and what "right wing website" was he speaking to?

I didn't get that either. I was hoping someone who knew about English politics would enlighten us.

It would suck if Hannan's political career is ruined over this stuff.

 

[BlackTerrel]

I didn't get that either. I was hoping someone who knew about English politics would enlighten us.

It would suck if Hannan's political career is ruined over this stuff.

Well he either deserved it or he didn't??? If Enoch Powell is the equivalent of a David Duke then he deserves what he gets.

Put it this way - if Ron Paul said that David Duke was one of his influences I would turn against him in a heart beat. Purely hypothetical of course, I know their views are in direct opposition.

That said, I've never heard of Enoch Powell or this Hannan guy. Too much shit going on in my own country to worry too much about England.

 

[gls]

I've noticed the U.K. press/liberal elite tend to label anyone who doesn't support massive unchecked immigration a "racist", even though most have legitimate concerns about the sustainability of the welfare state.

 

[fletcher]

If you believe in liberty you will be called a racist. Statists just cannot wrap their head around the idea of not using government force to benefit groups that they believe deserve it.

 

[Mini-Me]

Well he either deserved it or he didn't??? If Enoch Powell is the equivalent of a David Duke then he deserves what he gets.

Put it this way - if Ron Paul said that David Duke was one of his influences I would turn against him in a heart beat. Purely hypothetical of course, I know their views are in direct opposition.

That said, I've never heard of Enoch Powell or this Hannan guy. Too much shit going on in my own country to worry too much about England.

I just looked it up myself. Apparently Enoch Powell was a politician several decades ago who made a pretty xenophobic speech about immigration: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivers_of_Blood_speech

Powell's speech was definitely collectivist and arguably racist, but from Hannan's own comments about the man, it sounds like Powell was about much more than his immigration views (though I'm willing to bet his other views were smeared as well for their association with him...). If that's the case, I really don't think it puts him up there with David Duke, who has dedicated his entire life to his whiteness. The comments below the article seem to corroborate this.

I certainly wouldn't endorse Powell's comments, but I do think he was right about the growing tide of "anti-discrimination laws" eventually being used to destroy British culture and discriminate against non-minorities (e.g. restrictions on free speech that outlaw saying "offensive" things about certain religions, etc.). Even though I'd place more emphasis on stupid laws and less on the immigration side of things, it's pretty much common sense that loose immigration policies have contributed to the culture clash and racial tension going on in Europe and the UK now, in combination with big government legislating the whims of special interest groups.

More importantly, Hannan doesn't even agree with Powell on the immigration issue:

I think Enoch Powell was wrong on immigration. The civil unrest that he forecast, and that many feared in 1968, didn’t materialise. Britain assimilated a large population with an ease that few countries have matched. Being an immigrant myself, I have particular cause to be grateful for Britain’s understated cosmopolitanism.

As gls implied, politial correctness is just rampant in the UK, and it sounds like Hannan is being thrown under the bus for daring to associate Enoch Powell with anything other than "racism." The impression I'm getting is you're not allowed to respect the man for his free market economic policies or general philosophy, because he must be demonized from head to toe for being anti-immigration...and frankly, for as little as I know about Hannan, I think I've gained some respect for him for going against the grain here.

Actually, let's double that respect:

I’m surprised that no one has picked up on the thing that I most admire about Enoch Powell, namely his tendency to ignore conventional wisdom and think things through from first principles. Like Rowan Williams, he always did his hearers the courtesy of addressing them as intelligent adults. Both men regularly got into trouble in consequence, either because they were genuinely misunderstood or because their detractors affected to misunderstand them. Neither responded by dumbing down. That, in politics, takes a special kind of integrity.

Honestly, I wonder if this "outrage" about Hannan is being fabricated as a convenient excuse for the political establishment to get rid of him. Just like Ron Paul is seen as "eccentric" for opposing the Fed, Hannan is seen as "eccentric" for opposing the British National Healthcare System. Let me repeat: The establishment is so damn entrenched over there that you're "eccentric," like a crazy old uncle or something, if you oppose government-run healthcare!

 

[BlackTerrel]

As gls implied, politial correctness is just rampant in the UK, and it sounds like Hannan is being thrown under the bus for daring to associate Enoch Powell with anything other than "racism." The impression I'm getting is you're not allowed to respect the man for his free market economic policies or general philosophy, because he must be demonized from head to toe for being anti-immigration...and frankly, for as little as I know about Hannan, I think I've gained some respect for him for going against the grain here.

I don't know enough about this particular situation to comment but it's just common sense and stupidity sometimes.

I don't know David Duke's economic views but let's say they were the similar to Ron Paul's? Would Ron Paul ever say "David Duke is one of my key influences and I really like his views on the Federal Reserve... oh BTW all that racist stuff that David Duke talks about I disagree with".

Ron wouldn't do that because he's not an idiot. And if he did he'd be thrown under the bus - and rightly so.

You just have to use common sense sometimes.

 

[Pennsylvania]

right-wing

BS alert