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Following World War Two, Britain became increasingly mixed culturally, both in its cities and smaller communities. This had a deep cultural and social effect. While most British people were relaxed with cultural diversity, the changing nature of British ‘identity’ and the merits of multiculturalism were hotly debated and sparked debate.

Attitudes to modern immigration

The topic of immigration has always divided opinion, especially when it comes to the economy. Supporters of immigration argue that it creates more jobs, helps boost the economy and keeps inflation down. Opponents argue that immigration causes unemployment, reduces wages overall and puts too much pressure on public services such as health and education. Recent studies, however, are inconclusive:

• 2007 – a government study reported some social problems caused by immigration
• 2007 – another government report found that the UK economy had gained £6 billion due to immigration
• 2008 – a House of Lords report found no evidence of benefit to the UK from immigration
• 2009 – a University College London study concluded that immigrants made a big contribution to the economy as they paid more tax than they received in benefits
• 2012 – a report by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research reported that immigration and unemployment were not linked
• 2015 – a report by the Bank of England said that immigration was holding down wages

An argument used against immigration is that a large influx can cause a rise in racism from settled people who feel threatened by new arrivals. Evidence suggests, however, that racial tension is highest in very segregated communities and lowest where there is a mix of people from many different cultural backgrounds growing up together and making friends.

Many negative attitudes and expressions that were common in 1970s Britain became completely unacceptable among later generations, and most people were in friendly contact with people with different cultural heritages. However, economic insecurity and fear of terrorism created a tougher climate for positive community relations and led to a rise in anti-immigrant feeling. After the financial crash in 2008, the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) which campaigned against EU membershiip and called for a stop on uncontrolled immigration, grew in popularity. By the 2015 general election and the 2016 referendum on membership of the EU, immigration was a major political issue.

Following the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan and terrorist attacks in New York in 2001 and London in 2005, the early 21st century saw a rise in anti-Semitic incidents and a sharp increase in Islamophobic hate crimes.

Revision task

This section covers three aspects of recent migration:

• migrants from Europe
• refugees and asylum seekers
• the immigration debate

Take each of these themes in turn and look back over all four periods covered in this course. What changed over time, and what stayed the same?

You could compare, for example:

Migrants from Europe: medieval weavers from the Low Countries, Italians and Germans in the 19th century, EU migrants in the 21st century.

Refugees and asylum seekers: Huguenots and Palatines, Eastern European Jews, Kindertransport, 21st century asylum seekers.

The immigration debate: attitudes to immigrants in the Middle Ages, the Tudor period, the early 1900s and the present.