1931: Immigration in the UK before:

• Uninhabitable during the ice age
• Roman occupation
• Import of unwilling Africans for the slave trade

1931: Foundation of the British Commonwealth:

• Consists of 54 member states which were former British colonies

1948: The British Nationality Act:

• organization which granted all Commonwealth citizens the right to live and work in the UK → huge waves of immigrants to the UK

1949: London Declaration

• Commonwealth Prime Ministers Meeting (22. – 27. April 1949)
• India was allowed to remain member of the Commonwealth of Nations after transitioning to republican constitution
• modernized the community; member states = free and equal

1965: Race Relation Act

• first legislation in the UK to address racial discrimination
• the Act forbids discrimination of “groups of color, race or ethnic/national origins” in public places
• the Act was constructed by Home Secretary Frank Soskice

1992: The EU expansion

• UK allowed migration to happen immediately and placed no short-term restrictions

UK and Ukraine:

• Ukraine immigrants are not wanted → until the beginning of march around 50 people were permitted to stay
  • They are allowed to come if they have family members living in the UK