Cleobury Mortimer shop owner criticised over Enoch Powell photo says she will be 'compliant but not defeatist'

Elizabeth Griffiths, who has run the Mumfords ironmongers shop in Cleobury Mortimer for the past 33 years, said she had ‘the shock of her life’ after national newspapers approached her about an image of Enoch Powell and his famous ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech being displayed in her window.

The anti-immigration speech, delivered by the then Wolverhampton West MP in 1968, caused a national controversy, leading him to be sacked from Edward Heath’s shadow cabinet.

West Mercia Police is now investigating the issue, saying it received a report of offensive content in a shop window in Church Street, which is being treated as a hate crime.

Mrs Griffiths said it had been in the window since the beginning of February, and has never received any backlash. However, after seeking advice, she has removed the picture, instead replacing it with one of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

The Reform UK activist says that a member of the public had sent an email to a newly-elected councillor about her shop, and believes that person reported it to the police.

“I know, about the same day, this lady went to West Mercia Police and made this complaint,” said Mrs Griffiths.

“Then on Tuesday evening, I was accosted in the street by a very unpleasant woman who was obviously extreme left-wing.

“This vendetta is caused by this one woman. I’ve never seen her before and she didn’t know who I was.

“It doesn’t relate to Enoch Powell in the least. You find what most folk haven’t a clue who he is, it’s only the older ones who know him.

“Out of a matter of courtesy, I asked if I can help her in any way and if she was interested in local politics, which is what I say to many people at the moment because they’re staring at the window. Normally they respond in a very friendly manner despite what their political persuasion is.

“But the conversation with this woman was off the scale. The responses she gave me implied she didn’t have a clue about politics. She was just to cause a mischief, so I just treat it with the contempt it deserves.

“They [West Mercia Police] say it’s been reported and is being investigated. I see the police every day. I deduce if someone has made a complaint about my shop window they haven’t got the resources to deal with it.”

Mrs Griffiths said she removed the Enoch Powell picture “to take the sting out of it” but has already ordered some mugs displaying the former Conservative politican to display in the window. She is also now a member of the Free Speech Union and is looking at getting some T-shirts to show her support.

After reading the national articles, many people have left their number at the shop, said Mrs Griffiths, as well as flowers.

“It’s been overwhelmingly positive,” she said.

The chairman of Cleobury Mortimer Town Council, Councillor David Abbatiello, said he asked Mrs Griffiths if she would consider taking the Powell sign down, but she declined.

“The town council doesn’t condone it in any way,” said Mr Abbatiello.

In response, Mrs Griffiths said. “I get on very well with the council – one of the councillors is a Reform activist like myself.

“David did come to me once, but I’m not just going to take it down on a whim because someone has complained. Nothing changed, then it kicked off on Tuesday morning.

“When I realised it had got so contentious, I took heed of the advice to take it down. I’m going to be compliant, but not defeatist.”