CONFERENCE; CROWD APPLAUDING; POWELL SPEAKING.



"A LARGE PART, PERHAPS THE GREATER PART, OF THE PRESENT COLOURED IMMIGRANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, DO NOT YET REGARD THIS COUNTRY AS A PLACE OF PERMANENT SETTLEMENT. THEY STILL LOOK TO THE COUNTRIES WHENCE THEY CAME AS HOME. HERE LIES THE CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE FOR YOU AND ME, AND NO LESS FOR THOSE AMONG THE IMMIGRANTS WHOSE FUTURE DOES LIE HERE, OF THAT POLICY OF ASSISTED RE-PATRIATION AND RE-SETTLEMENT, WHICH SIR ALEC DOUGLAS-HOME, AS LEADER OF OUR PARTY, ADOPTED ALMOST FOUR YEARS AGO. TO PROCLAIM THAT POLICY, AND WHEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT IT INTO EFFECT, WITH GENEROSITY, WITH HUMANITY, WITH DETERMINATION AND WITH HOPE, IS A DUTY WHICH WE OWE TO ALL, WHITE AND COLOURED. TOO OFTEN, TOO OFTEN TODAY, PEOPLE ARE READY TO TELL US THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE, THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE. I SAY, WHATEVER THE TRUE INTERESTS OF OUR COUNTRY CALLS FOR IS ALWAYS POSSIBLE."




Initials JH/V-TELE/BH/SIM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: MR. ENOCH POWELL WARNED BRITISH CONSERVATIVES AT THEIR ANNUAL PARTY CONFERENCE AT BLACKPOOL TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT COLOURED IMMIGRATION COULD CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF ENGLAND. IN A FIVE-MINUTE SPEECH, MR. POWELL URGED THAT THE POLICY OF ASSISTED REPATRIATION AND RE-SETTLEMENT, ADOPTED FOUR YEARS AGO BY THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY LEADER SIR ALEC DOUGLAS-HOME, BE PLACED INTO EFFECT NOW.

IN CONTRAST TO HIS BIRMINGHAM SPEECH OF LAST APRIL, IN WHICH MR. POWELL VISUALISED RIVERS "FOAMING WITH BLOOD" ON THE RACIAL ISSUE, HE CONCENTRATED TODAY ON HIS VIEWS OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF UNRESTRICTED ENTRY IN FUTURE YEARS.

SCATTERED BOOS MINGLED WITH LOUD APPLAUSE AS MR. POWELL MOUNTED THE ROSTRUM TO SPEAK ON AN ISSUE THAT HAS TOUCHED A SENSITIVE CHORD IN THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY. ABOUT HALF THE CONFERENCE HALL STOOD UP TO CHEER WHEN HE FINISHED, BUT SHADOW CABINET MEMBERS ON THE PLATFORM SHOWED LITTLE REACTION.

MR. POWELL WAS DISMISSED FROM THE SHADOW CABINET BY CONSERVATIVE PARTY LEADER EDWARD HEATH IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BIRMINGHAM SPEECH. SINCE THEN, AMID APPARENT GRASSROOTS ACCLAIM, MR. POWELL HAS DEPARTED FROM THE ORTHODOX CONSERVATIVE PARTY ATTITUDE ON A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS, INCLUDING DEFENCE AND ECONOMICS.