A Short History of Migration to the UK: From Post-War to New Labour

Abstract

This very short chapter brings you quickly up to date with providing a short historical context of migration to the UK from the post-war period to the advent of the New Labour government, paying particular attention to Blair’s premiership and Britain’s role within the European Union. The main point will be to indicate in this chapter is the political importance foreign labour has been for the continued functioning of the UK economy but also to point out how an increasingly punitive politics has problematized the life circumstances of migrant workers.