[l333]

I am doing Multicultural Britain for coursework, does anyone know where I could find some more information on the colour bar or the Race Relations Act. We are using the Oxford History for GCSE text book on Multicultural Britain but is the topic covered on the revision websites that have been posted? I can't seem to find any background information on the internet.

Thank you

[Mr. D. Bryant]

I have to admit I am struggling a little with this, however we will try to reply soon. My apologies for the delay.

[MrJohnDClare]

On the development of race relations in britain in general, start here, and then research this.

Have you seen this?

[l333]

Thank you for the links, they are really helpful.

[l333]

Sorry to be a pain and ask another question but does the fact that Enoch Powell and the National Front gained support mean that Britain was intolerant at the time ?

[MrJohnDClare]

l333, on Nov 5 2009, 05:58 PM, said:

Sorry to be a pain and ask another question but does the fact that Enoch Powell and the National Front gained support mean that Britain was intolerant at the time ?

The problem is that intolerant people never realise that they are intolerant! So the people who opposed immigration in the 1960s and 1970s did not THINK they were racist; they just thought they were 'addressing necessary issues'. Powell certainly believed that he was a clear-sighted man justifiably warning the British people about a coming problem that they had not yet apprehended. The accusation of racism, the anti-Powell backlash and the end of his political career took him hugely by surprise - after he had given the speech he was very pleased with himself, expecting plaudits not shock and horror.

But when I see in the 1960s and 1970s photos of racist grafitti and thousands marching to protest at immigrants taking white jobs, and a Conservative MP standing and being elected on the slogan: 'If you want a N****r for a neighbour vote Labour', and landlords advertising 'rooms for rent - No Coloureds', then I think that, looking back, we can safely say that significant numbers of British people at the time were more than intolerant ... they were downright racist.