LOOKING BACK

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES 50 YEARS AGO

The Conservative defence spokesman, Mr. Enoch Powell, called today for a massive Government-financed operation to send Britain’s non-White immigrants to other countries. He said that 20 years from now Britain would have 3,500,000 immigrants and added: “We must be mad, literally mad, as a nation to be permitting the annual inflow of some 50,000 dependants.” He told a Conservative Party meeting in Birmingham that it was Opposition policy to stop immigration and encourage “reemigration”. He said immigrants living in his own constituency, Wolverhampton, came to him from time to time asking for assistance to return home. — April 21 1968

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES 25 YEARS AGO

The death of ANC chairman Oliver Tambo yesterday — just two weeks after the assassination of Chris Hani — came as a severe blow to the ANC. “Time is not on our side. A date for elections must be set now,” said ANC president Nelson Mandela. He described Mr Tambo, 75, as “my brother, my comrade, my friend and my colleague”. Mr Mandela was in Durban when he was told Mr Tambo had died of a stroke just after 3am yesterday. Mr Mandela said Mr Tambo had been instrumental in beginning the negotiations process. He pointed out, however, that the ANC was dealing with a “justifiably very angry youth” and an insensitive minority government. — April 25 1993