Jacob Rees-Mogg has hit out at Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech, branding it “terrible” and “incendiary”.
The speech was made by the Tory MP in 1968, criticising significant Commonwealth immigration to the United Kingdom.
Speaking to Steve Edginton, Jacob branded the speech “incendiary” and claimed it caused great harm to the overall cause.
“It is a really bad speech”, he said.
Jacob Rees-Mogg said the speech is 'terrible'
GB NEWS
“It made talking about immigration incredibly difficult for decades. It’s a blot on his career of an ineradicable kind.
“Its tone was excessively angry. It said things of debatable accuracy. Where was the evidence of dog mess being put through people’s letter boxes?
“It was absolutely intended to be incendiary. I think, what Powell achieved, was the exact opposite of what he was aiming to do.
“People could not talk politely about immigration because of the Rivers of Blood speech.”
Jacob proceeded to get his phone out and look at some of the quotes from the speech, saying the tone wasn’t even acceptable in the context of its time.
“The speech is so overstated, so hysterical in its tone. He damaged the argument”, he said.
Steven Edginton spoke to Jacob Rees-Mogg
GB NEWS
“He says, ‘grinning pickaninny’, that’s the language. Now, come on. Even in 1968, referring to people in that way was deeply and gratuitously offensive.”
Jacob went on to discuss immigration as a whole, saying it has caused Britain huge troubles and action should be taken to drastically reduce it.
“I think there are enormous problems that mass migration has caused in terms of our culture”, he said.
“Mass migration has been carried out at such a rate that integration has been impossible.
Enoch Powell made the speech in 1968
PA
“I think we need to stop immigration now. I don’t mean just get it down to 300,000 rather than the best part of a million, we need to get it down to the tens of thousands.
“It needs to be a small number to allow time for integration and cultural acclimatisation.
“We have created in this country areas where communities are carrying on with their culture rather than becoming part of the British culture.
“I believe that is very difficult.”
Jacob spoke ahead of the riots sparked by the deaths of three girls attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport.
Rioters have clashed with police officers as they make their anti-immigration sentiments known, with many stationing themselves outside migrant hotels.