Immigration and Citizenship in Postwar Britain

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is restricted to recording the rapidly changing immigration and citizenship policies in postwar Britain. In a discussion about the humane options that modern states may consider in the formulation of general immigration and citizenship policies and practices, the British example must stand out as one of the least attractive and most complicated. Immigration rules and the concept of British citizenship have been dictated not by the consideration of universal principles, such as the protection of fundamental human rights, or even international obligations, particularly to the ex-colonies of its empire, but by the overriding need to deny entry and settlement to those with non-European ancestory. As such, British policy carries with it a charge of being racially discriminatory and effectively blocks the emergence of an effective race relations policy.