--> Enoch Powell was a conservative member of parliament at the time. He made a racist and controversial speech 'River of blood'; in which he stated how Britain would end up in dire consequences if they continued to allow mass immigration from the commonwealth unchecked.

--> Society did not remain unaffected by Powell's views; polls in the aftermath of his speech showed that between 67% - 82% of people agreed with what he said. 

--> p40, Helen's father 'Hairy Back'  declares "We're with Enoch"  when shouting racist abuse a Karim.

--> Powell was a right wing extremist who exacerbated racial tensions, and became a figure-head for extremists.

--> Enoch was often compared to Hitler, and Kureshi recounts how his name was used as an insult due to the horrible connotations it held. 

--> Enoch stated that the indigenous whites would soon become a 'persecuted minority' or a 'stranger' to their own country. 

--> His hobbies included churchgoing and fox-hunting. He was a proto-Thatcherite and a supporter of Utopian capitalism. 

--> Richard Croosman in 1968 spoke about his worry of Powell's celebrity like role, appealing to and fuelling peoples hatred.