Britkid Home

 

Timeline of Ethnic Minorities in Britain

1933Flow of (mostly) Jewish refugees from Nazis begins
1938British Medical Association objects to the number of Jewish doctors arriving in Britain
1945Second World War ends
Government (Labour) attempts to send back wartime workers to colonies
Substantial flow of immigrants from Ireland
1947Polish people homeless because of the War, invited to come to UK
1948British Nationality Act, gave citizenship to people from ex-colonies
First immigrant ships arrive from the Caribbean
1949Royal Commission on Population report, argues that immigrants should be encouraged only if they are of "good human stock"
1950Private member's bill to outlaw racial discrimination fails to be passed (Labour govt)
1951Conservatives win election
United Nations Convention
1952USA: new law restricts immigration from Caribbean to USA
1954Law to limit immigration to UK considered but not presented to parliament
1956Private Member's Bill to outlaw racial discrimination in public places fails to be passed (Conservative govt)
1958Street violence against black people in Nottingham and Notting Hill
1959Conservatives win election
1960Birmingham Immigration Control Association set up (pressure group against immigration)
1961Campaign for immigration control contributes to large rise in immigration to 'beat the ban'
1962Commonwealth Immigrants Act (Conservative govt), immigrants needed employment voucher to get in
1964Labour win election (though a Conservative wins Smethwick (Birmingham) using slogan "Nigger for your neighbour? Vote Labour"
Labour government renews immigration control
1965Reduction in annual number of entry vouchers to 8500, 1000 of these are given to Malta (Labour govt)
Race Relations Act makes some discrimination unlawful
1966Labour wins election
First national report on extent of racial discrimination
1967National Front founded
Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants established
1968Commonwealth Immigrants Act passed to control entry of refugee Asians from East African
Enoch Powell (Conservative) makes speech saying immigration will cause "river of blood" in UK
New Race Relations Act outlaws discrimination in employment and housing
Parliamentary Select Committee on Race Relations and Immigration established
1969Major survey of British race relations published
1970Conservatives win election
1971New immigration Act replaces acts of 1962 and 1968, tightens controls
Home Office sets up its own race relations research unit
1972Asians expelled from Uganda; 27000 admitted to UK
1973National Front obtains 16.3% of vote at West Bromwich by-election in May
1974Labour win election
Second national report on extent of racial discrimination and disadvantage
1976New Race Relations Act - Commission for Racial Equality established
Rise in support for National Front in May elections, but no seats won
Notting Hill carnival involves clashes between young blacks and the police
1977National Front increases activity in by-elections and confrontational marches, comes third placing in 2 places
1978Mrs Thatcher's says people may feel "swamped" by immigrants of another culture
Conservatives propose tougher immigration legislation
1979Conservatives win election
National Front fragments after disastrous election results
1980Select Committee recommends repeal of 'Sus' stop and search law
Street disturbances in Bristol after police raid on cafe in St. Paul's
1981Nationality Act passed. Inner-city riots in Brixton, Toxteth and elsewhere
Select committee report on racial disadvantage
Lord Scarman's official report on cause of riots says too much discrimination
First Home Office report on racial attacks suffered by minorities
1983Conservatives win election
1985Riot in Handsworth (Birmingham) two shopkeepers die in fire
Riot in Broadwater Farm (London), policeman murdered
1986Visa controls imposed on visitors from India, Nigeria, Ghana, Pakistan and Bangladesh
Second Home Office report on racial attacks
Immigration Act, controls tightened
1987Conservatives win election
Four black/Asian Labour MPs
1988Immigration Act, controls tightened
1989Death sentence passed by leader of Iran on British writer Salman Rushdie, for offending Muslims in a book
Government (Conservative) grants citizenship to 225,000 people from Hong Kong, mostly Chinese
1990British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act, limits numbers that can come to UK
European Parliament report on racism
Nottinghamshire police found guilty of racial discrimination against officer
1991Bill Morris becomes the first black person elected to lead a major union, the TGWU
Asylum Bill published, to limit entry by Asylum seekers
1992Conservatives win election
6 Ethnic minority MP's elected, black Conservative candidate loses at Cheltenham
First Asian judge appointed
1997European Year Against Racism
Labour wins election
1998Fatwa on Salmon Rushdie lifted
Human Rights Act 1998 is passed
Britkid website goes on-line
1999MacPherson report into death of Stephen Lawrence
Several police forces acknowledge existence of institutionalised racism
Targets set for ethnic minority recruitment in most public services
Growth of asylum seekers from eastern Europe, increased controls
Immigration and Asylum Act passed
The National Asylum Support Service set up by Home office
2000signs of 'race card' being played in run-up to election
Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 provides general duties on public bodies
2001Labour wins election
Riots in Oldham, Burnley and Bradford
September 11 - twin towers of World Trade Centre are destroyed and Pentagon attacked by terrorists
Anti-terrorism Crime and Security Bill passed which includes streamlining immigration procedures. Debates occurred about whether the offence of incitement to religious hatred should be included.
2002Britkid is redeveloped