racist for telling the truth?

did the tory party actually cross the left/right divide and turn into a bunch of pussy-footing liberal morons like the rest of britain's politicians?

when will the government go wakey-wakey and realise you CAN'T please everyone all the time and discover that it is not AN offense to CAUSE offense by speaking the TRUTH?

Andrew, Stirling, Scotland

I've given up with the Tories, I'm voting either UKIP or BNP at the next election.

JohnC, Warwick, UK

What Nigel Hastilow sid is nothing short of the truth, just talk to the average person on a council house waiting list, it's not a racist comment it is the truth, they have and are changing our country - not all bad, But whay give them preferential treatment, free housing, benefits and NHS when they have paid nothing into the system. It is just a shame when someone has the guts to speak some sense they are made to feel that they have to resign . perhaps David Cameron should listen and take on board what he has said!!

paula, norfolk,

Oh get over yourselves. 90% of the British population is still 'white' if that is what you are worried about and if you are so worried about race then a lot of migrants are actually 'white' as well from Eastern Europe.

And for all those people apparently immigrating, do they not realise that New Zealand is predicted to be a majority of pacific island stock over the coming decades, Australia is going to have to take in more and more Asian immigrants (this means all of Asia not just the narrow minded grouping of people from the Indian sub-continent we use), Canada is increasingly multi-cultural so is France and Spain. They can't escape - its just a fact of life in the modern world. I do actually believe the UK has woken up to the failures of multi-cultural life, maybe we will also be the ones to show the world how to manage it whilst keeping our cultural identity intact - have some faith in our great country!

Nick Ridge, London,

What is the matter with everyone today that they all seem afraid of the truth?

Mary, Chelmsford,

If political leaders are to sack politicians for saying what 90% of the population believe, then democracy is dead. David Cameron has just demonstrated the same contempt for democracy as Blair, Haine, Straw and all the other rapid lefties.
No one is representing the people in our parliament. This parliament has little legitimacy left.

John W, Oldham,

Its comes to something when a man is forced to step down for telling the plain truth, when so many blatant liars in government and services refuse to resign even after they admit they are at fault.
Controlled immigration is essential for the future of this country, but uncontrolled it is a complete disaster, there may not be rivers of blood yet but there are definitely small streams appearing.
we let people of rival cultures and religions flock to our country with no thought that they might carry on that fight here and when we try to mediate we are branded as the intolerant aggressors and racists.
I truly believe unless something is done immediately there will be civil war in this country within 20 years, in fact it may already be to late!

D. Hooper, ockendon, uk

It is a very simple argument really. The resources in this country are finite and there is a critical mass after which the country will just become an aweful place to live (a bit like now really). So, at what point did logistics suddenly make someone a racist??? Yes, it is much more logical to keep letting people onto a ship so that it sinks beneath the waves never to be seen again. Sorry sir the boat is full. This make someone a racist, I think not! Nobody has uttered the terms "Bomber" or "Terrorist", come on, grow up.

Duncan , Manchester,

Racist? Really? If the racists I see today are as intelligent and eloquent as Mr Powell, the world would be a MUCH better place.

Gloria Yang, London, UK

Totally agree with Mr Hastilow, but as is the norm in this country now, you are not allowed to utter valid comments just in case you are seen to be politically incorrect. The country is rapidly going downhill because of the masses of immigrants entering our little island. Lack of housing, NHS stretched and benefit system pushed to the limit, but does anyone in the government say enough, NO they, instead try to shift the blame onto other small minorities with no real voting power, such as the overweight or smokers putting a strain on the health service, the claiments of incapacity benefit dragging down the benefit system and young people who a lot of the time have no where to go and nothing to do causing all the crime and costing the HARD WORKING tax payer more expense . God forbid they tell us the real reason for crime, lack of housing and hard pushed benefit system and that is too many immigrants have entered our shores and we cannot cope.

Stephen, Jarrow,

It's funny reading Henry Ellis's comment above.

Did he know that Enoch Powell went on an active drive to import and recruit 20000 doctors from India to prop up the lack of English ones.

Maybe one of those were the first asian he saw.

Yes, 20000 Asian GPs were stationed round the UK, looked after and improved the health of so many here, saved lives, delivered babies, etc...
So yes, that is also irrevocable change.

Immigration is a term too readily pounced upon by the ignorant types that think anyone non-white is a threat or a bomber.

Situations have negatives and positives. Many here don't care about the positives because the views are more to do with prejudice and racial dislikes, but the positives do exist, and they are the kinds of things you take for granted till they are gone.

Eg. The NHS & UK economic growth, both hugely important to all of us, would literally implode without the immigrant workforce.

NT, london,

Mr Hastilow is right, WHEN WILL THIS GOVERNMENT WAKE UP,
I dont think they ever will, we have lost our country, our troops should be here, defending our coast line, not dying in Irak
John Radford Dorset UK

john radford, ferndown, U.K

Has immigration caused people to only utter safe neutral comments? If so..the Mr. Powel was a soothsayer.

dennis, Windsor, Canada

As an American it seems to me obvious that what this politician says is true. In the US we are inundated with illegal immigrants and no one wants to deal with it. It is a matter of whether people wish to keep the basic nature of their country.

Don M, Phila, PA/USA

I hate saying this but has anyone realised what great recruiters for the BNP our Mainstream Political Parties are. If they knew anything about history they would know that the Nazi's only got into power because the German People wanted to teach the government a lesson. Trouble is too many people felt that way and woke up with the Nazi's in power.
Our Government is going to cause the same thing to happen here. Then God Help them (and us).

Howard, Basildon, England

This man is just telling it as it really is and it may not be too much longer before we have to take to the streets to defend our selves from the threat of these bombers. The stupid law says they have human rights and cannot be locked up, what about our human rights to live without the threat posed by these maniacs.?

D Case, Newquay.,

Mr Hastilow may well be right when he says he is not a racist. The problem with his speech was that many people believe, rightly or wrongly, that Enoch Powell was. ( I dont .) Immigration could be a decisive issue in the next election and the Conservative leader is right to want to avoid candidates who give gratuitous hostages to his opponents. This is not PC but plain common sense.

Stephen Bull, fontes, France

They already have your country, its too late

Luciano Reva, Rome,

I believed Mr Powell back in 1968. It is good to see a politician
( be it a sacked one ) with the courage to speak out.
This govt has done what Hitler failed to do " Destroy this once great country " .. I have so many good friends that are leaving /emmigrating to escape the impending disaster that awaits us all... I remember as a child seeing my first ever Asian immigrant, now I can't event walk to the local shops without seeing them.

Henry Ellis, Bracknell, Berkshire - UK

[uncontrolled immigration would change our country irrevocably. ]"He was right. It has changed dramatically."

Seems a sensible statement. Some of the changes have been for the better. A "clarification" would have been better than a standing-down.

Alex, Tunbridge Wells,

I don't believe that Mr Hastilow is a racist BUT I have to question what his purpose was in invoking the "Rivers of Blood" speech.

Was it to encourage reasoned debate or to whip up a testosterone fueled storm; to incite and inflame. Many have commented that Mr Hastilow was just being frank and avoiding "political correntness".

I think you can be frank about something without being inflamatary.

John Goh, Welwyn Garden City, UK

What was the attack on 7/7 and the growing number of terror plots stated by MI5 today, if not the start of 'rivers of blood'?

Of course Enoch Powell was right that uncontrolled immigration has changed our country irrevocably, and why should Mr Hastilow be forced to resign for stating this? Enoch Powell did nothing wrong against immigrants appart from warning of the consequences of this uncontrolled immigration recently made worse by this Labour goverment's social benefit policies encouraging more immigrants.

The Tories would have been better off challenging Peter Hain 's slanderous comments against Mr Hastilow and the bad record of this goverment on uncontrolled immigration.

George, London,

Here, Here

William Knapp, Canada,

Gosh, Mr. Hastilow is right. I live in the low no income of society as a single parent in social housing. It is completely corrupt and the comments made are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!
I know people who work in housing who themselves are living in totally overcrowded situations, including myself! We are eligile for zero! Or, to give you the system - not enough points!But, hey the correct sized housing, help, support and charities and sooo many other things are available for many people who have no need to be here, especially the Eastern Europeans! Make money and take or send it home. This is not thier HOME. But it is mine!!
It is a rape of of this countries identity. Enoch Powell was right and it has nothing to do with race. We are just resentful!!
Peoples with no historic connection to this land have more rights than the people from it or it's Commonwealth. Even the Polish think we are stupid to let so many people into this land!
When will the Government wake up?

Wendy H, London, London

"Enoch, once MP for Wolverhampton South-West, was sacked from the Conservative front bench and marginalised politically for his 1968 ‘Rivers of blood’ speech, warning that uncontrolled immigration would change our country irrevocably. "He was right. It has changed dramatically."

Could someone please point out a single part of this statement which is not absolutely true? - mores the pity!

MIke Bibby, St Albans, England -not EU

So, the only man in the Conservatives with the guts to say what 90% of us actually thinks, is forced out.
Another reason not to bother voting for them.

Bernard C.Lacey, Croydon, UK