Sir Eric Bentley is inspired by the late British Conservative politician Enoch Powell, who made the famous "Rivers of Blood" speech about immigration to the UK. Bentley repeats a piece of gossip about an old lady from an embarrassingly unreliable source - much as Powell had. Bentley mentions Powell by name at the end of the speech.
Old woman at party conference:
[heckling]
What about the Old Age Pension?
Tom Hutchinson: Don't talk to me about "unemployment", young man! I was unemployed before you were born!