Non, non, non ! Le Combat tory d’Enoch Powell contre les réformes de la Chambre des Lords en 1958 et 1969

Abstract

This paper analyses why Enoch Powell opposed the 1958 and 1968-69 reforms of the House of Lords. He started his political career working at the Conservative Research Department that was influenced by the Disraelian legacy, and thus developed a Tory attitude consisting in defending British political institutions. After reading Burke, Powell promoted the principle of prescription to fuel the Tory dimension of Powellism. In addition, he decided to write a history of the House of Lords that he published in 1968. Powell butchered Wilson’s bill in 1968-1969, after forging “an unholy alliance” with some Labour MPs and Michael Foot, which resulted in the Prime Minister’s failure to implement his reform.

Keywords

• House of Lords
• hereditary peers
• principle of prescription
• Benjamin Disraeli
• Edmund Burke
• Enoch Powell