race relations

Question 1

political challenges that labour faced regarding race in 1964:

Answer 1

-small group of tory backbenchers began to call for greater immigration controls
-several labour MPs wanted to control immigration more
-immigration was the biggest vote loser for labour - seen as very pro immigration
-wilson made himself outspoken on racism - seen as a ‘sympathiser’

Question 2

social challenges that labour faced regarding race in 1964:

Answer 2

1. high profile white rampages e.g. in middlesborough
2. new immigrants often. blamed for the poor state of the inner cities
3. unofficial colour bar in smethwick
4. 1963 = bristol bus boycott - bus company refused to employ coloured people
5. unofficial colour bar on trains
6. racist incidents e.g. chinese owned properties being burned

Question 3

economic challenges that labour faced regarding race in 1964:

Answer 3

-industrial towns were no longer as prosperous because newlly affluent workers began to move out to the suburbs (inner cities = crowded)
-the declining economic situation led to a need for new workers which could increase racial tensions
-some trade unions e.g. TGWU (biggest union) supported a colour bar on employment

Question 4

successes of race relations act 1965:

Answer 4

-was designed to deal with tensions surrounding immigration ,which was a positive change

Question 5

failures of race relations act 1965:

Answer 5

-race relations board was quite ineffective - in its first year 734/982 complaints were dismissed due to a lack of evidence
-didn’t majorly change public attitude

Question 6

detail of commonwealth immigrants act 1968:

Answer 6

-the right of return to britain for non-white commonwealth citizens was limited
-government invalidated passports
-only 1.5k kenyan asians would be allowed in each year

Question 7

successes of commonwealth immigration act 1968:

Answer 7

-would’ve increased labour’s working class support
-callaghan’s public image was boosted as he was seen as standing up for the rights of the british working class people

Question 8

failures of commonwealth immigrants act 1968:

Answer 8

-very racist policy that didn’t align with labour’s previous actions/beliefs
-met with some criticism - ‘shameful, immoral, racist, discriminatory…’

Question 9

successes of race relations act 1968:

Answer 9

-communities began living together without problems
-notting hill carnival - many people adopted fashions and music from immigrants’ home countries

Question 10

failures of race relations act 1968:

Answer 10

-still loopholes e.g. employers could still discriminate in the interests of ‘racial balance’
-race relations board only upheld 10% of the complaints in received which led to people not reporting any complaints

Question 11

what was enoch powell’s rivers of blood speech in response to?

Answer 11

the ongoing debate regarding kenyan asian immigration

Question 12

what was the purpose of enoch powell’s speech?

Answer 12

to force heath (tory leader) to do something + to raise his profile

Question 13

summary of enoch powell’s speech:

Answer 13

-said many british people felt as though their country wouldn’t be worth living in for their children
-said the government wad mad for allowing the ‘annual inflow of 50,000 dependents’

Question 14

what was the reaction to enoch powell’s speech from the government?

Answer 14

-he was strongly condemned by the liberal establishment
-heath sacked him from the shadow cabinet and never spoke to him again

Question 15

what was the reaction to enoch powell’s speech from the public?

Answer 15

-protest march to downing street in reponse to his sacking
-gallup poll found 75% of pop. supported what he said in his speech