I think the language was badly chosen & have written a piece (forthcoming) on why. Starmer did not quote Enoch Powell. He did use the word 'strangers'. Powell used this word too. They made different arguments using the word. The idea it was an intentional echo is highly implausible & 99.99999% not
Reposted from
Zarah Sultana MP
Quoting Enoch Powell is never a coincidence.
The Prime Minister knew what message he was sending — and who he was sending it to. Disgraceful.
The Prime Minister knew what message he was sending — and who he was sending it to. Disgraceful.
Comments
Full context:
"Let me put it this way: Nations depend on rules – fair rules. Sometimes they’re written down, often they’re not, but either way, they give shape to our values. ...
So, he celebrates diversity. And he says that rules are essential, they embody our values, and that without them we are not a nation that walks together, but an island of strangers.
There.
That relates to the use of the word "strangers"
Its a totally absurd hypothesis with 0.0000% probability
Powell said that immigration was making white British people 'strangers in their own country'.
The former clearly echoes the latter in more than just the choice of one word. It's dishonest to say otherwise.
* Sultana must not want to join Labour again under this leadership? (She believes it is motivated by racism, or consciously deciding to quote racism tactically)
* Labour could not readmit her to stand?
Or can this type of thing be retracted in politics?
Criticising Starmer, or Brown on British jobs for British workers, Blair on duty to integrate, etc is perfectly valid
But somebody in Downing St gets Rivers of Blood to select quotes for PM's speech: niche + obviously ludicrous.
"somebody in Downing Street had Enoch Powell’s speech on a PDF and was selecting quotes from it & that is highly concerning"
Which in German is a Volksgemeinschaft. Some other people used that terminology. They were not nice people.
This is the problem with “communitarianism”. It’s a pre-modern solution to 21st century problems.
Wanna buy a bridge?
#StrangerInAStrangeLand
not most Reform voters!
Racist dog whistles at least used to be quiet.
If "not a coincidence' then it was planned, considered or intended?
I don't think it helps that people are very keen to make that leap though
They happen because a physical environment is so configured that sound waves repeat.
The echo, who hears it, and what they hear is thus the product of a special environment - and Starmer knows full well what the political environment is on race and immigration.
because when the bubble all put out the exact same darn piece about dear leaders latest racist rabble, it seems a bit *too* stagemanaged, don't you think?
Downplaying right wing racism and trying to manufacture it around Corbyn.
It was a Roman salute not a sieg heil