Powell seeks peace

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33538, 20 May 1974, Page 13

Powell seeks peace

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) LONDON, May 19.

Mr Enoch Powell, the maverick Right-wing politician who announced that he would vote Labour at Britain’s last General Election, has offered to make peace with the Conservative Party leaders. Mr Powell, who gave up his Parliamentary seat during the election in February, made clear that he was not renouncing his strong views, whether on coloured immigration or the European Economic Community. The politician, who is 62, told a private meeting of Conservatives yesterday

that he felt that the controversial issues' between him and the Conservative Party leadership were now obsolete.

“Neither rancour nor pride ought to keep those apart who are no longer divided by disagreement over real issues,” he said.

There was no immediate response from party leaders to Mr Powell’s attempts at reconciliation on his own terms.

One Tory member of Parliament, Mr Jonathan Aitken, while recalling the “damage” he had done to the party, said that the Conservatives could not do without Mr Powell’s “political magic.”