Nigel Hastilow
Encyclopedia
Nigel Hastilow is a journalist, author, businessman and politician. He is a former editor of the Birmingham Post
and was Conservative Party
candidate for Birmingham Edgbaston in the 2001 general election
. In April 2007, Hastilow was selected a prospective parliamentary candidate (PPC) for the Conservative Party for the Halesowen and Rowley Regis constituency but stepped down after he received criticism about a newspaper column he wrote for the Express & Star
which included the statement "Enoch Powell
was right", sparking a national controversy about immigration
and racism
.
and educated at Mill Hill School
in London
. After graduating from the University of Birmingham
, he trained as a journalist.
. He subsequently became a columnist, set up his own publishing company which he later sold and also worked for the Institute of Directors
and the Institute of Chartered Accountants
. He writes regularly for the Express & Star
and is author of The Last of England and Tomorrow's England.
Earlier that year it had emerged that he had put a comment on his website which was subsequently taken up to attack Hague's leadership by Tony Blair
at Prime Ministers Questions. However, the article itself had been approved by then party chairman Michael Ancram and argued that, contrary to the Prime Minister’s claims, the Conservatives were the only party capable of defending Britain’s interests and – prophetically – warning of Tony Blair’s ambition to become the first President of the European Union.
In 2002 Hastilow was elected to Stratford-on-Avon District Council
where he served as a councillor for two years. During that period he claimed no expenses. He was the only Conservative to oppose a 52 per cent council tax increase and also succeeded in committing the local authority to opposing the Labour Party's hunting ban.
In April 2007. Hastilow was selected to represent the Conservative Party in the constituency of Halesowen and Rowley Regis. However, he stepped down following the publication of his column in the 5 November edition of the Express & Star
which caused political controversy. He stated how allegedly "uncontrolled" immigration was becoming an increasingly big issue for people in his Halesowen and Rowley Regis
constituency. He said his constituents claimed that Enoch Powell, a politician noted for his Rivers of Blood speech
, was right to warn that uncontrolled immigration would change the country dramatically.
Hastilow wrote:
He then went on to challenge the welfare state:
This led to him being criticised by fellow Tories such as David Davis
. although a senior local party officer commented: "It is important that this debate on immigration is taken further so we can have an open and honest discussion on this issue. "Labour MP Peter Hain
, then Work and Pensions Secretary, said that Hastilow's remarks showed the Tories had a "racist underbelly".
Following a meeting with the Conservative Party chairman, Caroline Spelman
, Hastilow chose to resign rather than apologise for the comments and submit his future columns to the party's central office for approval. On 13 November, the local Conservative Association rejected Hastilow's resignation and referred the matter to the national party. Pressure from the Conservative Party headquarters subsequently ensured that his resignation was reluctantly accepted.
Hastilow chronicled the saga, and the overwhelming public support he received, in his book Tomorrow's England which dealt mainly with the rise of the surveillance state. His earlier book, The Last of England was a polemic against the rise of the New Establishment under New Labour. Hastilow remains on the Conservative Party's list of approved candidates.
He continues to speak at Conservative Party constituency association events, as well as at other politics-related gatherings. He has appeared on a range of topical radio shows and, occasionally, on TV.
, which campaigns for lower taxes and greater value for money in public spending. He is a supporter of the Freedom Association, and has spoken at some of its events including a debate on the future of the BBC, and he is a backer of the Drivers’ Alliance, an organisation dedicated to defending the interests of motorists.
He is a strong advocate of free market economics, believing high taxes and increased regulation stifle entrepreneurialism and force businesses to abandon Britain
. He believes in the importance of manufacturing industry and regrets that successive governments have neglected this vital aspect of the economy.
A traditionalist on education, he was for some time a member of the Conservative Party committee (chaired by John Bercow
, now Speaker of the House of Commons) campaigning to protect the country’s remaining grammar schools.
Hastilow is a confirmed Euro-sceptic. It was reported in 2008 that he had been approached to stand as a candidate for the UK Independence Party (UKIP) at the European
elections but turned down the opportunity arguing that he had always said he would remain loyal to the Conservative Party.
Birmingham Post
The Birmingham Post newspaper was originally published under the name Daily Post in Birmingham, England, in 1857 by John Frederick Feeney. It was the largest selling broadsheet in the West Midlands, though it faced little if any competition in this category. It changed to tabloid size in 2008...
and was Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
candidate for Birmingham Edgbaston in the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
. In April 2007, Hastilow was selected a prospective parliamentary candidate (PPC) for the Conservative Party for the Halesowen and Rowley Regis constituency but stepped down after he received criticism about a newspaper column he wrote for the Express & Star
Express & Star
The Express & Star is an evening newspaper based in Wolverhampton, England, published Monday to Saturday in nine different editions covering the Black Country, Birmingham and the wider West Midlands area from Tamworth to Kidderminster. It as widely perceived as being moderately right-wing...
which included the statement "Enoch Powell
Enoch Powell
John Enoch Powell, MBE was a British politician, classical scholar, poet, writer, and soldier. He served as a Conservative Party MP and Minister of Health . He attained most prominence in 1968, when he made the controversial Rivers of Blood speech in opposition to mass immigration from...
was right", sparking a national controversy about immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
and racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
.
Education
Hastilow was born in BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and educated at Mill Hill School
Mill Hill School
Mill Hill School, in Mill Hill, London, is a coeducational independent school for boarding and day pupils aged 13–18. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, an organisation of public schools in the United Kingdom....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. After graduating from the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
, he trained as a journalist.
Journalism
Working for a variety of local newspapers in Birmingham, Hastilow became first political correspondent and then editor of the Birmingham PostBirmingham Post
The Birmingham Post newspaper was originally published under the name Daily Post in Birmingham, England, in 1857 by John Frederick Feeney. It was the largest selling broadsheet in the West Midlands, though it faced little if any competition in this category. It changed to tabloid size in 2008...
. He subsequently became a columnist, set up his own publishing company which he later sold and also worked for the Institute of Directors
Institute of Directors
The Institute of Directors is a UK-based organisation, established in 1903 and incorporated by royal charter in 1906 to support, represent and set standards for company directors...
and the Institute of Chartered Accountants
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales was established by a Royal Charter in 1880. It has over 130,000 members. Over 15,000 of these members live and work outside the UK...
. He writes regularly for the Express & Star
Express & Star
The Express & Star is an evening newspaper based in Wolverhampton, England, published Monday to Saturday in nine different editions covering the Black Country, Birmingham and the wider West Midlands area from Tamworth to Kidderminster. It as widely perceived as being moderately right-wing...
and is author of The Last of England and Tomorrow's England.
Political career
In 2001 Hastilow stood as a Conservative Party candidate in the constituency of Birmingham Edgbaston but lost to the Labour Party candidate at general election.Earlier that year it had emerged that he had put a comment on his website which was subsequently taken up to attack Hague's leadership by Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
at Prime Ministers Questions. However, the article itself had been approved by then party chairman Michael Ancram and argued that, contrary to the Prime Minister’s claims, the Conservatives were the only party capable of defending Britain’s interests and – prophetically – warning of Tony Blair’s ambition to become the first President of the European Union.
In 2002 Hastilow was elected to Stratford-on-Avon District Council
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
where he served as a councillor for two years. During that period he claimed no expenses. He was the only Conservative to oppose a 52 per cent council tax increase and also succeeded in committing the local authority to opposing the Labour Party's hunting ban.
In April 2007. Hastilow was selected to represent the Conservative Party in the constituency of Halesowen and Rowley Regis. However, he stepped down following the publication of his column in the 5 November edition of the Express & Star
Express & Star
The Express & Star is an evening newspaper based in Wolverhampton, England, published Monday to Saturday in nine different editions covering the Black Country, Birmingham and the wider West Midlands area from Tamworth to Kidderminster. It as widely perceived as being moderately right-wing...
which caused political controversy. He stated how allegedly "uncontrolled" immigration was becoming an increasingly big issue for people in his Halesowen and Rowley Regis
Halesowen and Rowley Regis
Halesowen and Rowley Regis is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
constituency. He said his constituents claimed that Enoch Powell, a politician noted for his Rivers of Blood speech
Rivers of Blood speech
The "Rivers of Blood" speech was a speech criticising Commonwealth immigration, as well as proposed anti-discrimination legislation in the United Kingdom made on 20 April 1968 by Enoch Powell , the Conservative Member of Parliament for Wolverhampton South West...
, was right to warn that uncontrolled immigration would change the country dramatically.
Hastilow wrote:
When you ask most people in the Black Country what the single biggest problem facing the country is, most people say immigration. Many insist: “Enoch Powell was right”...
He was right. It has changed dramatically. But his speech was political suicide. Enoch’s successors in Parliament are desperate to avoid ever mentioning the issue.
He then went on to challenge the welfare state:
It’s claimed we couldn’t survive without immigrants to work in our hotels, pubs and restaurants, to pick our fruit and clean our hospitals. But that’s because we make life too easy for the five million or more people who could be working but enjoy life too much living off the state.
Why are 1.65 million people unemployed when it seems as if there’s a job for more or less anyone who wants one? Why are 2.4 million people claiming incapacity benefit when society is getting healthier?
In the past they would have been accused of “swinging the lead”, “skiving”, “scrounging” or “cheating”. Now we’re told they need “up-skilling” and then they would be only too happy to work (but for their bad backs).
We only need so many Polish waitresses because so many people who were born and bred in Britain can’t be bothered to work. This week we have seen a slight but important shift. Immigration has come out of the closet.
This led to him being criticised by fellow Tories such as David Davis
David Davis (British politician)
David Michael Davis is a British Conservative Party politician who is the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Haltemprice and Howden...
. although a senior local party officer commented: "It is important that this debate on immigration is taken further so we can have an open and honest discussion on this issue. "Labour MP Peter Hain
Peter Hain
Peter Gerald Hain is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the Welsh constituency of Neath since 1991, and has served in the Cabinets of both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, firstly as Leader of the House of Commons under Blair and both Secretary of State for...
, then Work and Pensions Secretary, said that Hastilow's remarks showed the Tories had a "racist underbelly".
Following a meeting with the Conservative Party chairman, Caroline Spelman
Caroline Spelman
Caroline Alice Spelman is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom who has served as the Member of Parliament for Meriden in the West Midlands since 1997...
, Hastilow chose to resign rather than apologise for the comments and submit his future columns to the party's central office for approval. On 13 November, the local Conservative Association rejected Hastilow's resignation and referred the matter to the national party. Pressure from the Conservative Party headquarters subsequently ensured that his resignation was reluctantly accepted.
Hastilow chronicled the saga, and the overwhelming public support he received, in his book Tomorrow's England which dealt mainly with the rise of the surveillance state. His earlier book, The Last of England was a polemic against the rise of the New Establishment under New Labour. Hastilow remains on the Conservative Party's list of approved candidates.
He continues to speak at Conservative Party constituency association events, as well as at other politics-related gatherings. He has appeared on a range of topical radio shows and, occasionally, on TV.
Political beliefs
Hastilow is an active member of the TaxPayers' AllianceTaxPayers' Alliance
The TaxPayers' Alliance is a British pressure group and taxpayers union formed in 2004 to campaign for a low tax society. The group had about 18,000 registered supporters as of 2008, and claimed to have 55,000 by September 2010....
, which campaigns for lower taxes and greater value for money in public spending. He is a supporter of the Freedom Association, and has spoken at some of its events including a debate on the future of the BBC, and he is a backer of the Drivers’ Alliance, an organisation dedicated to defending the interests of motorists.
He is a strong advocate of free market economics, believing high taxes and increased regulation stifle entrepreneurialism and force businesses to abandon Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He believes in the importance of manufacturing industry and regrets that successive governments have neglected this vital aspect of the economy.
A traditionalist on education, he was for some time a member of the Conservative Party committee (chaired by John Bercow
John Bercow
John Simon Bercow is a British politician who has been the Speaker of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom since June 2009. Prior to his election to Speaker he was a member of the Conservative party....
, now Speaker of the House of Commons) campaigning to protect the country’s remaining grammar schools.
Hastilow is a confirmed Euro-sceptic. It was reported in 2008 that he had been approached to stand as a candidate for the UK Independence Party (UKIP) at the European
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
elections but turned down the opportunity arguing that he had always said he would remain loyal to the Conservative Party.