We can reveal how businessman Gary Dutton told how he admired Enoch Powell, who predicted a race war in his infamous ‘Rivers of blood’ speech, ‘for his vision’
A millionaire donor of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK can today be exposed as a fan of far-right hero Enoch Powell.
Gary Dutton told how he admired the politician, who predicted a race war in his infamous “Rivers of blood” speech, “for his vision”. The yacht-loving businessman also lobbied David Cameron to stop immigration “dead in its tracks”. In his notorious 1968 tirade that got him sacked from the Tory shadow cabinet, the late Powell railed against mass immigration. He claimed to quote a constituent who apparently told him that “in 15 or 20 years’ time the black man will have the whip hand over the white man”.
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Dutton, 76, gave Reform’s Lee Anderson £10,000 this year and previously handed the party £45,000 via his firm. The businessman’s company also paid for a £1,500 trip for Anderson – nicknamed “30p Lee” after controversial remarks about foodbanks – to visit France last month. It comes as Reform UK tops the polls and recently outlined a plan for mass deportations of asylum seekers. In comments unearthed by the Mirror, Dutton included Powell in a list of those he admired in his rags-to-riches autobiography. They included Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill, as well as the Beatles’ John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
Powell’s speech was made before the second reading of the then Labour government’s Race Relations Bill, which made it illegal for people to be refused housing, employment or public services because of their ethnicity. Speaking to local Tory members in Birmingham, Powell quoted classical poet Virgil, saying: “As I look ahead, I am filled with foreboding; like the Roman, I seem to see ‘the River Tiber foaming with much blood’.” In 2014, it emerged Farage had unsuccessfully lobbied Powell – who died in 1998 – to publicly back his by-election campaign 20 years earlier.
In his “The Business Builder” book, published in 2012, Dutton also recalled sitting next to then Tory leader David Cameron at a lunch. The ex-Tory Conservative donor wrote: “…in conversation he asked a question that in a more public forum would have been absolutely taboo. ‘What would you have us do when we get into power, Gary?’ I thought all my birthdays had come at once!
“This opportunity alone must be worth my 50K contribution, so I replied: ‘Three things. Stop immigration dead in its tracks, outlaw more political correctness being inflicted upon us, and thirdly – come out of the EU and let’s get back to the common market concept.’ There was a general, ‘Hear, hear!’ from those assembled. Sadly, the only one who did not appear to hear was David himself. His retort to me was to the effect of: ‘But we can’t reverse these things.’ ‘Well, what’s the point of getting you elected if you can’t influence these areas of concern to many of the citizens?’ methinks.”
Elsewhere in the book, Dutton wrote: “We must accept that globalisation will erode the English way and the sovereignty that has existed for centuries.” Dutton’s E.I.R.P Ltd gave £20,000 to Reform UK last year and £25,000 in 2019 when it was known as the Brexit Party, Electoral Commission records show. And Dutton personally gave two £5,000 donations to Anderson this year.
E.I.R.P Ltd also paid £1,500, covering flights and accommodation, for the MP to visit France last month as part of a group for a speaking engagement, according to the register of interests. In 2020, Dutton – awarded an MBE in 2008 for services to manufacturing – appeared in the Sunday Times Rich List with a worth of £134million. Reform UK was contacted for comment.
