Enoch Powell & U-Turns

To say that I've ever agreed with Enoch Powell's politics would be a lie. I am not an ultra-capitalist, anti-immigration imperialist, and never shall I be one. But the method in which Enoch Powell went about his political career is something the politicians of today, especially Cameron's government, could learn from.

Powell stood by his views. Repenting at any time would have likely assured his readmission into the cabinet, but he never did and never would. To him, politics was not merely an instrument for trying to gain as higher position as possible just to be powerful/famous. For Powell, politics was the career one sought if one wanted to try to shape the world in a way that suited their strongly held ideological convictions. David Cameron, on the other hand, has moulded - and continues to mould - his policies on the whims of public opinion.

People of such strongly held political beliefs are always marginalised, regardless of their political stance. On the right, Conservative Dan Hannan is an MEP only - not an influential role by any means - because of his staunch right wing ideals, while, on the left, George Galloway was fired from the Labour Party for his pacifism.

It is up to politicians to choose between their beliefs and their careers. I'd always urge them to go for the former - though I do not share much ideological ground with Powell, Hannan, Benn or Galloway -, simply because there is nothing I despise more than spineless politicians. Though David Cameron is not that bad, he is by no means the best Conservative leader. I would love Ken Clarke to be PM.