Immigration & attitudes towards race (T3) Flashcards
How did WW2 bring everyone together?
During WW2 many Commonwealth citizens fought and died for Britain
What law did the Labour government pass in 1948?
relating to immigration
The British Nationality Act
What was the 1948 British Nationality Act?
Said that all citizens of the Commonwealth were British citizens
What did the 1948 British Nationality Act mean for people?
That Commonwealth citizens had the right to come and settle in Britain
Who were the earliest immigrants to Britain?
The came from India, where, after independence and partition in 1947, some Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs found themselves isolated
In the early 1950s, where did immigrants begin to arrive from?
The West Indies
What became known as the New Commonwealth?
India, Pakistan and the West Indies
Why were more workers needed in Britain?
The NHS was set up in 1948 & railway and bus transport had been nationalised - large numbers of extra workers were needed
How did Britain try to get enough workers for the NHS & the railway and buses?
They started advertising campaigns in the West Indies, India and Pakistan to try to attract workers
In 1954 how many West Indians migrated to Britain?
9,000
In 1956 how many West Indians migrated to Britain?
26,000
In 1961 how many West Indians migrated to Britain?
66,000
What were wages like in Britain compared to the Commonwealth?
Wages in Britain were much higher than in other parts of the Commonwealth & the standard of living was rising very quickly
Where did immigrants tend to live in Britain?
They often found themselves living in the poorest accomodation in the worst areas of big cities
What was the ‘white flight’?
Where some areas attracted so many immigrants that the original white population began to move to other parts of the city
Name some areas that attracted a lot of immigrants
Toxteth - Liverpool
St Ann’s - Nottingham
Handsworth - Birmingham
Brixton - London
What was the ‘colour bar’?
Landlords would not rent to immigrants, employers would not hire immigrants (e.g. Bristol Bus company)
Did Trade Unions support immigrant workers?
TU’s failed to support immigrant workers
White trade unionists were often concerned their jobs were being taken by black immigrants who would work for less
What was pay like for immigrants?
Those who found work were only offered the lowest-paid and most unskilled jobs
On average, how much less were immigrant workers paid than white workers?
28% less
Who were ‘Teddy Boys’
Gangs of young, white men who sought to intimidate black immigrants
Where were the race riots in Nottingham 1958?
In St Ann’s area of Nottingham, Aug 1958
What happened during the race riots in Nottingham 1958?
A crowd of up to 1000 black and white youths fought each other, resulting in a number of stabbings
What happened a few days after the riots in Nottingham in 1958?
A few days later, in Notting Hill (West London) gangs of 300-400 white men armed with chains, iron bars, knives and petrol bombs attacked local black people and their homes
What were the 1958 Notting Hill race riots sparked by?
By a Teddy Boy attack on a white woman who had a black partener
How long did the Notting Hill riots last?
2 weeks
How many people were arrested at the Notting Hill riots?
140 people
Why was there discontent with the police after the Notting Hill riots?
There were complaints that the police had been too slow to react to black appeals for help
That the police had been too eager to say that racism had not caused the riots
How were the Notting Hill riots a turning point for immigrants?
After, 3% of the total immigrant population returned to the caribbean
Caribbean governments made official complaints to the British government about poor housing and prejudiced policing
What was founded after the Notting Hill riots and why?
In 1959 the Notting Hill Carnival was founded to promote racial harmony
It still takes place annually
How did the government change their approach towards immigration in the 60s?
They changed their policy to try to slow the rate of “community change” in Britain and deal with the negative attitudes towards race
This came across as racist - the government were keen to hide this fact
What was the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act?
This stated that only immigrants with jobs waiting for them or those possessing certain skills would be allowed into Britain
Due to the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act, how would immigrant gain access to the UK?
They had to apply for a voucher - would only be issued if they could offer skills that were needed in Britain
How many vouchers would be given out a year under the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act?
Around 9,000
Who did the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act not apply to?
Australia, Canada & New Zealand
Why was there tension surrounding racism in the 60s?
- The National Front set up in 1967
- Kenyan Asians ordered to take Kenyan nationality or leave
What was the National Front?
A racist party set up in 1967 that wanted immigrants to be sent back to their original countries
What happened when Kenyan Asians ordered to take Kenyan nationality or leave in the 60s?
President Kenyatta ordered all Kenyan Asians to take Kenyan nationality or leave the country. Many left and came to Britain
Kenya was one of the last British colonies to gain independence from the British empire
What was the 1968 Commonwealth Immigrants Act?
This stated that immigrants must have some close connection with Britain. Close connection meant that the immigrant must have been born in Britain or have a parent or grandparent who had
What was the government’s response to the 1967 National Front and the situation in Kenya?
The 1968 Commonwealth Immigrants Act
What did the 1968 Commonwealth Immigrants Act also restrict?
It also restricted the number of vouchers to no more than 1,500 each year
What were opinions on immigration in the 60s?
It was a major political issue
Opinion polls showed that about 80% of people believed that too many immigrants had been allowed into Britain
What was the 1971 Immigration Act?
This created a new class of immigrants called ‘Patrials’. These were people who had been born in Britain, or who had lived in Britain for more than five years, or whose parents or grandparents had been born in Britain
What did the 1971 Immigration Act require people to have
to work in Britain?
Anyone whether they came from the commonwealth or not needed a work permit
Under the 1971 Immigration Act who did not need to get work permits?
Patrials - all other Commonwealth citizens needed work permits or visas
In 1972, how many Asians from Uganda were admitted to Britain?
70,000
Why were 70,000 Ugandan Asians admitted to Britain in 1972?
President Amin ordered all Ugandan Asians to leave the country
How did the number of immigrants change in the 50s and 60s?
From the late 50s and early 60s the number of immigrants coming to Britain rose very rapidly
From 1955 to 1961, how many people came from Britain the West Indies, India and Pakistan?
400,000
During the 60s and 70s was extra labour needed?
No
Most of the jobs in the National Health Service & transport had been filled
Why did families begin to move to England in the 60s?
The men who had arrived in the 50s were bringing their families over to join them.
This mean the immigrants were becoming permanent settlers
What happened to the economy and unemployment in the 60s’?
It began to slow down and unemployment was rising
By the 60s, how had immigration affected race relations?
Immigration had led to severe racial tension
The government believed they could reduce racial tensions by placing limits on the no. immigrants allowed into Britain each year
What was the 1965 Race Relations Act?
It banned discrimination in all public places, such as pubs, clubs and dancehalls
It also became illegal to publish anything which incited racial hatred
What was the Board called that the 1965 Race Relations Act set up?
The Race Relations Board in 1966
What did the 1966 Race Relations Board do?
It dealt with complaints
It however had no power to enforce its decisions & was made up almost entirely of white people
