London - The British Conservative Party leader, Mr William Hague, was facing criticism from within his own party yesterday over his controversial speech on the impact on police morale of the Macpherson report into the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence.
As a senior union leader, Mr Bill Morris of the TGWU, accused him of inflaming racial tensions - likening his address to Enoch Powell's infamous `Rivers of Blood' speech - former Conservative prime minister Sir Edward Heath said Mr Hague had got himself into a "muddle".
Conservative Central Office denied a Sunday newspaper story which quoted sources close to shadow chancellor Mr Michael Portillo as saying Mr Hague's speech last Thursday was a "disgrace".