Rights of ethnic minorities

Question 1

British Nationality Act 1948

Answer 1

Government needed more workers to rebuild the war ravaged country to offered loans and allowed people from the empire to move to Britain and gain full citizenship

Question 2

Early Discrimination

Answer 2

Immigrants lived where rent was affordable in usually run down areas - landlords refused to let to properties to immigrants. Unskilled immigrants had to work low paying, insecure jobs

Question 3

1958 Racial Violence

Answer 3

In Notting Hill black homes and shops were attacked by white gangs followed by the murder of an Antiguan immigrant whose funeral became a mass anti racism demonstration.

Question 4

National Front

Answer 4

Formed to call an end to immigration and stirred up racial hatred in many cities following Enoch Powell (A leading tory MP’s speech saying continued immigration would lead to civil war). Two immigration acts were passed in the 60s to limit black and asian immigration

Question 5

Race relations act

Answer 5

1965 - made some types of racial discrimination illegal
1968 - was stronger and extended to employment and housing, aimed to integrate immigrant communities
1976 - set up a commission for racial inequality to encourage better relations between ethnic groups, to use the law to prevent discrimination, promote racial equality and equal opportunity and to raise public awareness of racial injustice

Question 6

Brixton riots 1981

Answer 6

High tension between young black people and police due to high unemployment and unfair policing. A stop and search stop soon turned into serious rioting. Scarman report blamed the police for the riots and identified racist culture within the police.