ABSTRACT
The “special status” of Irish citizens in the UK in British nationality law has been the subject of much discussion in the academic scholarship and there has been interest in the experience of Irish immigrants vis-a-vis the experience of Commonwealth immigrants in the second half of the 20th century. During the 1960s, even when he was starting to speak out on the question of Commonwealth immigration, Enoch Powell did not seriously question the status of Irish immigrants in Britain. The other thing to highlight is Powell’s opposition to dual nationality, particularly in the context of nationals who held Irish and British citizenship. Powell was aware of the dissenting voices within Unionism and sought to provide alternative counsel to Unionists. On capital punishment, incidentally, Powell was at odds with public opinion since he remained a firm opponent of the death penalty even in cases of terrorism.
