This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/7090387.stm

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Local Tories to discuss Hastilow Tory HQ to decide Hastilow future
(31 minutes later)
A Conservative candidate who quit after saying Enoch Powell "was right" in some of the things he said on immigration may have his resignation rejected. The future of a Conservative candidate who said Enoch Powell "was right" in some things he said on immigration is to be decided by the national party.
Nigel Hastilow's comments were made days after party leader David Cameron was praised for his efforts to "de-racialise" immigration. Nigel Hastilow resigned last week and the Tory executive in Halesowen and Rowley Regis, in the West Midlands, met on Monday to decide whether to accept.
He resigned on 4 November but says he has received many messages of support. But chairman Mary Docker said members had "resolved to request advice from the party board" instead.
The executive committee of Halesowen and Rowley Regis Tory party meets later and could reject his resignation. Mr Hastilow said he had received hundreds of letters of support.
Mr Hastilow, a former editor of the Birmingham Post, wrote in a column for the Wolverhampton Express and Star: "When you ask most people in the Black Country what the single biggest problem facing the country is, most say immigration. Spelman meeting
"Many insist: 'Enoch Powell was right'. Enoch, once MP for Wolverhampton South-West, was sacked from the Conservative front bench and marginalised politically for his 1968 'rivers of blood' speech, warning that uncontrolled immigration would change our country irrevocably. In an article for the Wolverhampton Express and Star, Mr Hastilow said Mr Powell had been "right" in his famous 1968 "rivers of blood" speech, in saying that uncontrolled immigration would change the UK "irrevocably".
"He was right. It has changed dramatically." After a meeting with national party chairman Caroline Spelman, he resigned as a candidate rather than apologise and be bound by a ruling that future articles be vetted by Tory Central Office.
His comments were criticised by senior Conservatives, including shadow home secretary David Davis who called them "very unwise" and said: "You cannot just stumble around throwing out comments which are insensitive or inflammatory." It had been thought the Halesowen and Rowley Regis party might refuse to accept the resignation, further embarrassing the national leadership.
Mr Hastilow resigned as the candidate for Halesowen and Rowley Regis after meeting the Conservative Party's chairman, apologising for undermining work done by party leader David Cameron on the issue of immigration. But Mrs Docker said: "A meeting of the Halesowen and Rowley Regis Conservative Association Executive was held on Monday evening and resolved to request advice from the party board."
Mr Hastilow, former editor of the Birmingham Post, told the Express and Star: "I have had hundreds if not thousands of messages of support which makes me feel that I should continue.
"But I'm not going to put myself in opposition to the Conservative Party."
Mr Hastilow's comments on Mr Powell - himself a Midlands MP - were made days after party leader David Cameron was praised for his efforts to "de-racialise" immigration.
He was criticised by senior Conservatives, including shadow home secretary David Davis who called them "very unwise" and said: "You cannot just stumble around throwing out comments which are insensitive or inflammatory."
In 2001, when a prospective candidate for Edgbaston, Mr Hastilow wrote on his official website that the Conservatives were "a lost cause" under then-leader William Hague.In 2001, when a prospective candidate for Edgbaston, Mr Hastilow wrote on his official website that the Conservatives were "a lost cause" under then-leader William Hague.
In his letter of resignation on 4 November he said, as it was the second mistake he had made, it was better to go, as it might happen again.In his letter of resignation on 4 November he said, as it was the second mistake he had made, it was better to go, as it might happen again.
Later that day, in a message on the local party's website, he thanked "the overwhelming number of people who have sent me messages of support in the last few hours".