Social and Cultural Change - Race Relations Flashcards
How was Britain permissive in terms of race relations:
- act passed?
- 1965 Race Relations Act
- made it illegal to discriminate on ground of race in public places
- Race Relations Board and National Committee for Commonwealth Immigrants set up
What were negatives of race relations act?
What did government do in response?
Result?
- Did not include discrimination in housing and employment
- Lacked teeth
So … - Set up strengthened Race Relations Board + community relations commission under direction of Frank Cousins
However … - Commission proved to have inadequate power and cousins left 2 years later
Give some background information on the Kenyan Asians
- long been friction between African majority in Kenya and more prosperous minority of Asian Settlers
- In Dec 1963, British Gov agreed to offer British passports to Asian residents
- Between Dec 1967 + 68 - 7000 entered
- conservatives called for restrictions including enoch powell + heath
What did the labour government do about the entry of immigrants?
- In 1968 the labour government introduces an emergency Commonwealth Immigrants Bill
- Only passport holders with ‘substantial connections’ were admitted to ease potential strain on social services
What did commonwealth immigration bill mean for kenyan asains?
What did it mean for immigrants in general?
- Entry of east african holders of British passports would be reduced under a voucher scheme of only 6000 or 7000 a year
- caused fury in many constituency labour parties
- Prompted Enoch Powell to make his notorious ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech in 1968
- Morgan argues that Race now entered British politics centre stage and ritual ‘Paki-bashing’ took place in towns like Bradford and Luton
What was the PEP report?
- The Race Relations Board and the National Committee for Commonwealth Immigrants had jointly commissioned Political and Economic Planning (PEP) to investigate discrimination
- held in six areas involved interviews, questionnaires and ‘situation tests’
What did the PEP tests find?
- a White Briton and a West Indian applied for the same job and same flat - so did a hungarian
- The Hungarian was treated unfairly, but nearly so often as the West Indian
- In housing obvious due to landlords stipulating ‘no coloured’ or ‘europeans only’ rules –> even the ones that didn’t turned away west indians
- non-whites were also liable to be charged higher mortgage rates
What act was passed to further strengthen race relations?
- The 1968 Race Relations Act
- outlawed discrimination in housing, employment, provision of goods and services, in trade unions and advertising
- again lacked teeth
- during first year only one offender actually put on trial
There was high levels of racial discrimination in the 1960s especially following what?
- legislation that among the white population was believed to attack their civil liberties
What racist organisations set up which highlighted racial discrimination?
- In 1964-65 a british version of the Ku Klux Klan made a breif fiery reappearance
- In 1965 the racial preservation society, a group concerned with racial purity set up
- In 1967 various strands of racial nationalis sentiment came together in the shape of the national front (NF)
- The Yorkshire campaign to stop immigration formed in bradford 1970
How did voting show racial discriminations
- In contituency of Smethwick there was a swing to the Conservatives of 7.2%
- Patrick Gordon lost his seat in process
- He was one of labours spokesmen against the 1962 act and advocate for ‘open door’ policy
- wife was black and daughter married black man
- Conservative candidate Peter Griffiths called for a ban on black immigration and repatriation of unemployed blacks
What was the slogan of Peter Griffiths supporters?
’ If you want a nigger for your neighbour, vote labour’
- Griffith refused to condemn these words
What was another important development in relation to enoch powel?
- emergence of powellism
