1933 | Flow of (mostly) Jewish refugees from Nazis begins |
1938 | British Medical Association objects to the number of Jewish doctors arriving in Britain |
1945 | Second World War ends Government (Labour) attempts to send back wartime workers to colonies Substantial flow of immigrants from Ireland |
1947 | Polish people homeless because of the War, invited to come to UK |
1948 | British Nationality Act, gave citizenship to people from ex-colonies First immigrant ships arrive from the Caribbean |
1949 | Royal Commission on Population report, argues that immigrants should be encouraged only if they are of "good human stock" |
1950 | Private member's bill to outlaw racial discrimination fails to be passed (Labour govt) |
1951 | Conservatives win election United Nations Convention |
1952 | USA: new law restricts immigration from Caribbean to USA |
1954 | Law to limit immigration to UK considered but not presented to parliament |
1956 | Private Member's Bill to outlaw racial discrimination in public places fails to be passed (Conservative govt) |
1958 | Street violence against black people in Nottingham and Notting Hill |
1959 | Conservatives win election |
1960 | Birmingham Immigration Control Association set up (pressure group against immigration) |
1961 | Campaign for immigration control contributes to large rise in immigration to 'beat the ban' |
1962 | Commonwealth Immigrants Act (Conservative govt), immigrants needed employment voucher to get in |
1964 | Labour win election (though a Conservative wins Smethwick (Birmingham) using slogan "Nigger for your neighbour? Vote Labour" Labour government renews immigration control |
1965 | Reduction in annual number of entry vouchers to 8500, 1000 of these are given to Malta (Labour govt) Race Relations Act makes some discrimination unlawful |
1966 | Labour wins election First national report on extent of racial discrimination |
1967 | National Front founded Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants established |
1968 | Commonwealth 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 |
1969 | Major survey of British race relations published |
1970 | Conservatives win election |
1971 | New immigration Act replaces acts of 1962 and 1968, tightens controls Home Office sets up its own race relations research unit |
1972 | Asians expelled from Uganda; 27000 admitted to UK |
1973 | National Front obtains 16.3% of vote at West Bromwich by-election in May |
1974 | Labour win election Second national report on extent of racial discrimination and disadvantage |
1976 | New 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 |
1977 | National Front increases activity in by-elections and confrontational marches, comes third placing in 2 places |
1978 | Mrs Thatcher's says people may feel "swamped" by immigrants of another culture Conservatives propose tougher immigration legislation |
1979 | Conservatives win election National Front fragments after disastrous election results |
1980 | Select Committee recommends repeal of 'Sus' stop and search law Street disturbances in Bristol after police raid on cafe in St. Paul's |
1981 | Nationality 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 |
1983 | Conservatives win election |
1985 | Riot in Handsworth (Birmingham) two shopkeepers die in fire Riot in Broadwater Farm (London), policeman murdered |
1986 | Visa controls imposed on visitors from India, Nigeria, Ghana, Pakistan and Bangladesh Second Home Office report on racial attacks Immigration Act, controls tightened |
1987 | Conservatives win election Four black/Asian Labour MPs |
1988 | Immigration Act, controls tightened |
1989 | Death 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 |
1990 | British 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 |
1991 | Bill Morris becomes the first black person elected to lead a major union, the TGWU Asylum Bill published, to limit entry by Asylum seekers |
1992 | Conservatives win election 6 Ethnic minority MP's elected, black Conservative candidate loses at Cheltenham First Asian judge appointed |
1997 | European Year Against Racism Labour wins election |
1998 | Fatwa on Salmon Rushdie lifted Human Rights Act 1998 is passed Britkid website goes on-line |
1999 | MacPherson 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 |
2000 | signs of 'race card' being played in run-up to election Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 provides general duties on public bodies |
2001 | Labour 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. |
2002 | Britkid is redeveloped |