FIRING LINE: ENOCH POWELL (TV)
Summary
One in this talk/interview series hosted by William F. Buckley, Jr. In this episode, Buckley's guest is controversial British politician Enoch Powell. Buckley explains in his introduction that Powell was recently kicked out of the British "shadow cabinet" by conservative leader Edward Heath in punishment for a speech Powell gave advocating the ending of what Powell referred to as "colored immigration" into England. Buckley opens the program by asking Powell to explain whether there are limits to party disobedience in England and, if limits exist, who sets them. Powell gives a long answer that differentiates between being in a cabinet and being governed by the rules of collective responsibility. Buckley and Powell then discuss the Labor Party's legislation on immigration, which Powell opposed because of a loophole that, in his words, "had Indians from Kenya pouring in." After Powell expresses his feelings that Britain is losing its national identity, Buckley quizzes Powell on the politician's claim that "integration is one of the greatest myths of our time." Powell then talks at length about immigrants' difficulty assimilating into England, and he stresses his opinion that color represents difference. Powell then discusses his immigration plan, which would not only ban people from coming into the country but would also ask people who have immigrated to England to leave, with a payment from the government. The second half of the program is devoted to questions for Powell from the panel of examiners. Frances Fitzgerald and John Coyne ask Powell general questions about his politics, and Jeff Greenfield launches into a lengthy argument sparked when Greenfield charges Powell with being less than candid about his claims about immigration.
(Network affiliation varies; this program was also syndicated from 1966 to 1971 and from 1975 to 1977.)
Cataloging of this program was made possible by Mr. and Mrs. Theodore R. Stanley.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: November 30, 1968
- RUNNING TIME: 0:52:57
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:61843
- GENRE: Talk/Interviews
- SUBJECT HEADING: Great Britain - Emigration and immigration; Great Britain - Officials - Talk/Interviews; Race relations - Great Britain
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1971-1999
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Warren Steibel … Producer
- Paul Sweeney … Associate Producer
- Garth Dietrick … Director
- Ralph Berger … Direction (Misc.), Associate Director
- Agatha Schmidt … Researcher
- William F. Buckley, Jr. … Host
- Enoch Powell … Guest
- John Coyne
- Frances Fitzgerald
- Jeff Greenfield
- Edward Heath