Dennis Skinner and Enoch Powell | Thames Debate | 1978 | Part 1 

Frightening to see how erudite every contributor is compared to the shit we endure from media and politicians today.

The erudition and knowledge of the nation's history on display here are, by today's standards, astounding!

Oh my god how the political minds of 2020 look so feeble compared to these guys here.

I think Dennis still has that jacket

Interesting that E Powell and D Skinner agreed on the analysis of the government's failed income policy.

I love these old debates, they speak such beautiful English, thanks for uploading.😍👍🏻

The more I watch these older clips, the more I think we have lost our ability to debate and discuss issues of the day. They wait for each other to finish their points, and there is an air of respect between them all.

Is it my imagination, or did we have a better class of parliamentary debate then? Even the S.N.P. member doesn't come across as a complete loony. Sadly, only Skinner is still with us.

Powell has a twinkle in his eye when he trolls the Tories and Skinner finds it quite amusing.

I met Enoch Powell and had about a 1 hour conversation on roman and Russian history and unlike most politicians he was straight talking, he said to me that he had both labour and conservative MPs come up to him and tell him in private they agreed with his views on immigration, but not to mention their names in public as it would ruin their careers, he found this quite funny

I’m on the right wing, but I do have to say I have respect for Dennis Skinner and it is unfortunate see him loose his seat this election. Respect to a genuine fighting man who committed his life to what he believed.

"No-no-no....I lean over backwards 'to find anything good ' to say about them" A beautiful 'backhanded compliment' - delivered with a mischievous expression on Mr Powells' face......

Absolutely amazing to see these debates reappear.

one thing that stands out is the more gentlemanly form of debate rival politicians actually agree and argue without rancour

The respect and calm tone of this debate puts modern media/politicians to shame. The quality of the discussion is outstanding. I personally love the accents too. We"ve lost so much and become so spiteful and loud.

I'm a lifelong Labour man but I had enormous respect for Powell, didn't agree with a lot what he said but always backed up his opinions and debated reasonably with others.

Outstanding. Both Skinner and Powell spoke well.

Surely the chair should have been interrupting contributors within seconds of them starting their response? I don’t understand?

John Pardoe, one of the minority of Liberal Democrat politicians who was not tainted byscandal. Bob Mellish and Dennis Skinner, respectively representing southern and northern working class values. Norman St John Stevas, elegant and respectable.What a contrast to the snarling, sneering rabble of today

The two shining intellects here... Skinner and Powell

From 20:03 it is wonderful to see Enoch Powell and Dennis Skinner agreeing! Two men of integrity and one of them is still with us. Good on you, Dennis!

So very good to hear a debate proceed using sensible language, and with an intelligence that sadly is widely lacking publicly and within our two democratic houses. This shows how much intellectual dumbing down there has been within society as a whole, since this was filmed.

List of Death By Year: 1979-Reginald Maudling 1990-Llew Gardner (Host) 1998-Enoch Powell 1998-Bob Mellish 2006-Margaret Ewing 2012-Norman St John Stevens Dennis Skinner and John Pardoe is two of last Surviving of this Debate Programme Participant

Compare the level of this debate to that of the recent Conservative leadership debates. It's nothing short of tragic just how far this nation has fallen over the past forty years.

This is what I look forward to in a debate these Gentlemen and Lady are excellent Debaters, we don't have any today!!!

Can you imagine any of them making false expenses claims ? Me neither.

Wow. What a find. Thanks for uploading.

You can tell that Enoch Powell and Dennis Skinner like each other; Two patriots that went into politics for the right reasons.

I love how when Enoch speaks, the whole room goes in uproar and his response is "I don't understand why I'm always upsetting the conservatives" hahaha

Enoch and Skinner Two great men more similar than they would admit. They would both be pleased we have Brexit.

Infinitely better than Question Time.

This really is excellent. Great post thanks. Takes me back a little but I was too young to be really understanding. I was just 14 at the time. I remember it well. My old fella was an Electrician down the pit, and I left school a year or two later to become a Mechanical Fitter down the same pit. They were tumultuous and interesting times to be sure.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if politicians today could discuss the issues instead of scoring points over each other

I was 16 in 1978. I remember those times well. And I would like to say to all those people in the comments lamenting the changes in the way people debate and express themselves, just get at the substance of the arguments and not be hypnotised by way they sound. And I will admit one thing only here, that I believe there was at least some hope back in the day, but that was only because it was before the big sell out to corporate power really happened and challenging power was still a theoretical possibility.

this country would of been better with a powell or skinner prime minester

Fascinating. Thanks for uploading!

Watching this made me realise that it is very rare to find a present day debate amongst politicians where they are not rehearsing lines and playing to the audience

11:50 "No government of this country can exist without some sort of pay policy". What was once thought unthinkable or politically impossible is now accepted by all parties.

In my workplace we negotiated one of those sham productivity deals mentioned by Dennis Skinner. We - the union - knew it was a sham. The management knew it was a sham. The company could afford the deal but just wanted to get around the incomes policy. Incidentally, great to see Skinner saying "right" to Enoch Powell's point. Hard right and left coming together as they have today on Brexit.

Amazing to see how they micro managed the economy - productivity and wages Bonkers - thank goodness that’s behind us

Fantastic debate. Sadly, politicians are nowhere near this level these days, from every party.

The Great Enoch, had a great crystal ball !!

Can anyone imagine how long it would take Enoch Powell to take apart Johnson or Starmer?

Two great men on opposite sides of the political spectrum

Thank you for this

"I have to tell you I find naught for my comfort" made me lol

Leaving aside your own political views, wouldn't you agree Enoch Powell and Dennis Skinner were fascinating to listen to? Passionate legends of British politics.

Potent stuff. Thanks for the upload.

*ENOCH POWELL* ~ the benchmark by which all politicians should be compared.

Watch part 2 of this fascinating debate here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fo2U-68EgMo.html

SIr Norman actually looks and talks like Sir Humphrey from Yes Minister.

Thanks for this! A real classic. Back to a time where politicians civically and intellectually debated. Have you got any other archive interviews or debates with Powell you could upload?

This is brilliant. I wish our representatives were as capable now.

Refreshing to see how reasonable debate amongst politicians of different persuasions used to be so civilised compared to the hate, insults and idealogical single mindness of the present political representatives we have today, none of whom would be able to debate with this panel.

Back when debate got your attention and was enjoyable regardless of subject, we led the way

So good to listen to civilised debate among enemies so as to speak.

I watched this on RU-vid in 1978, it was only 36p for broadband then.

Prefered Dennis skinner/frank field compared to Jeremy Corbyn/Dan carden

When Dennis Skinner talks the talk, look at the faces of the establishments!!!

Dennis Skinner wow, the legend. And Powell in the same discussion... !

Why I'm I watching this? And why I'm I enjoying it.

Just like to say this is very interesting in that period of history

Powell operates at a different level altogether.

21:00 'But Enoch, we've been through your world of supply and demand...' This statement did not age well.

Dennis skinner and Enoch powell..2 legends of parliament.

Dennis was not wrong it is much worse now in the house market.

20 mins in Skinner hit the nail on the head, Like now MPs don`t feel any of the pain that the us bottom of the food chain feel

Please upload part 2

Please can you upload part 2 of this debate?

Interesting to see Reginald Maudling, he died February 1979.

DENNIS IS STILL IN PARLIAMENT, a peoples man.

"Hard and miserable winter" - should have been a prophet!!!

How classy and well-mannered the politicians were in those days. Norman StJohn Stevas,Énoch Powell, good old Bob Mellish. Even Dennis Skinner was not the bitter shrivelledold fossil he has now become. We have lost over the years more than we have gained.

This scholar was absolutely Spot on 2023 Middle east in UK 1 million migrates coming this year to UK I million next year Speaking on behalf of England Our national treasure spoken the truth We need a oplogizes from our zombie government And he was conservative Street wise tal.............

Enoch Powell vs Alan Partridge

Never knew benny hill interviewed politicians. Oh and comment number 666

It is incredible how the level of discourse and the caliber of British and American intellectuals have declined.since 1978.

Remember when there were still politicians who believed in actual politocal values? Big fan of both Skinner and Powell.

The days before a dark force had true control over the political spectrum. That Thames Television intro still comforts me.

Just think how much better this debate would have been today. You KNOW what I mean.

Wow, this is very apposite to the current political situation

See this tv coverage and how clear the communication is compared with today’s and how one is struggling to follow what is discussed and also the picture flickering with the possibility of bringing on a fit/peti mal to one watching now-a-days productions? Let’s go back to those days of enjoying TVCoverage debate.

Christopher Lee played Alan Partridge to a tee in this episode.

41 years on and Dennis is still calling out the rich mans bullshit to his face

soon as enoch comes in they all tense up hahaha god bless him

3:00 Interesting that the term 'winter of discontent' is already around - even though it's only mid-November and the major strikes did not begin until later (the public service strikes were not until the new year).

Way back when,politicians stood for the people, and not for their own financial interests!

Find more of this fascinating archive of the time period

Enoch Powell Rest in Peace

Excellent!

Hard to imagine today’s politicians speaking around a table. Pissy Corbyn refused to even look at Boris the other day let alone speak to him. It was both amusing and sad. I think Corbyn thought he was in the tunnel before a big game but much like Dennis Skinner their big game days are behind them but they must look at their replacements like Rebecca Long Bailey and go seriously. I fear for the future of politics as some of the newer politicians don’t even have the intellect to outwit journalists with statements like I used to watch my fatha coming in every day every day and I grew up worrying about him. She clearly thought she was writing on Twitter and looking for support but in the real world she was born in Sept 1979 and when did the docks close? Eighteen months later, 2 years at the most. I am really not sure some of them can handle criticism.

Could you imagine this today. The idea of politicians around a table openly discussing issues, my days , never.

Enoch Powell and Dennis Skinner , two great statesmen

This reminds of the original Star Wars movie bar scene.

At this time, Labour added another one million staff to the public sector,.....just like New Labour did during 13 wasted years....that's why taxes went up, often by stealth. Public sector is not self-financing, it survives only by living off the backs of the private sector commerce and business.

Hi, any chance of posting a 'clean' version of this excellent programme please? many thanks

I always find watching these sort of videos both fascinating and weird. They are all discussing issues that to them at the time were highly important and they talk about what might happen yet we watching now know exactly what happened. These people had no clue what was coming just a few months later.

Who else is watching this waiting for Enoch to come on

Galloway and Rees Mogg, Widdicombe and Hitchens might make a good round table but who might be a good moderator?

Then today we have Liz Truss and Diane Abbott