The History and Structure of ImmigrationPeople have been coming to settle in Britain for centuries from many parts of the world. Some came to avoid political or religious persecution, others to find a better way of life or an escape from poverty. The Irish have long made homes in Britain, The large communities from the West Indies and South Asian sub-continent date principally from the 1950s and 1960s. There are also sizeable groups of Americans, Australians, Chinese and various European communities such as Greek and Turkish Cypriots, Italians and Spaniards. People from Latin America, Indo-China and Sri Lanka have sought refuge in Britain. The latest Census (2002) showed that 74,ooo people living in Britain were born in Poland, 78,000 in Cyprus, 91,000 in Italy, 215,000 in Germany. One reason of people’s immigration to Britain was escape from persecution. Thus, Jews came from Spain at the end of the 15th century, and the Protestant Huguenots came from France in the 1680s, both persecuted by Roman Catholic regimes. In the 19th century Italian political exiles fled to Britain. Many Jewish refugees started a new life in the country towards the end of the nineteenth century and in the 1930s. After 1945 large numbers of other European refugees settled in Britain. The most recent arrivals in Britain have not been from the Commonwealth, but from countries affected by wars. In the late 1980s refugees from Ethiopia, Somalia and Eritrea came to Britain. Then refugees from Yugoslavia and Romania came. The Commonwealth of Nations consists of the former British colonies. The British monarch is the Head of the Commonwealth. Another reason of immigration was the British labour market that was short of working hands, especially for less attractive jobs. As a result in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s people from the Caribbean, Africa, India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Cyprus all came to Britain to work. They concentrated in large cities that offered a lot of jobs. Nationality Legislation Until 1962 all Commonwealth citizens had the right of free entry and settlement in the UK. In 1962 Britain passed the Commonwealth Immigration Act, which meant that people from countries like Canada, Australia, India, Jamaica and the like could no longer enter Britain unless they had a job there. A new Act passed in 1968 said that only people, whose fathers or grandfathers were born in Britain, were allowed to live there. The first race relations legislation was enacted in 1965. Legislation passed in 1968 widened the scope of the former. It also strengthened the criminal law on incitement to racial hatred. The third Race Relations Act of 1976 set up the Commission for Racial Equality. This legislation was further reinforced by the Public Order Act of 1986. Nationality legislation is embodied in the British Nationality Act 1981, which came into force on 1 January 1983. Under this Act, citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies was replaced by three citizenships: British citizenship for people closely connected with Britain, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man; British Dependent Territories citizenship for people connected with the dependencies; and British Overseas citizenship for those citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who did not acquire either of the other citizenships. Most of the citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who had the right of abode in Britain when the Act came into force acquired British citizenship. Politics for promoting equality of opportunity in a multiracial society in which all citizens receive equal respect are pursued against a background of legislation against discrimination. The Race Relation Act 1976 makes discrimination unlawful on grounds of colour, race, nationality or ethnic or national origin the provision of good facilities and services, in employment, training and related matters, in education, in housing and in advertising.
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