West European Politics
Fortress Britain?

Maintaining ‘Fortress Britain’

A. Immigration Policies
1. “Would-be zero immigration country”

2. originating from Britain’s post-imperial downsizing from a global to a regional European power after World War II.

3. Key Pieces of Legislation

a. History of Racialized Controls

i. Arose in the late 1950s as a result of so-called “race riots” – attacks on immigrants by white youths and neo-fascist organizations.

ii. concerns about the “racial” character of some immigrants.

b. The 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act

i. Distinguished between citizens of the UK and its colonies and citizens of independent Commonwealth countries.

ii. Provided effective mechanisms to regulate primary, labor migration.

iii. Family migration of dependents was protected by the legislation, but predicated on the assumption of male breadwinners and female dependents.

c. The 1968 Legislation

i. In response to a sudden influx of people of Asian origin fleeing “Africanization” policies in East Africa, legislation was rushed through Parliament in only three days that made the East African Asians subject to immigration controls on the basis of a patriality rule.

ii. The patriality rule stipulates that anyone entering the UK needed to have one parent or grandparent born, adopted, or naturalized as a British citizen.

d. The 1971 Immigration Act

i. All preceding legislation was replaced by one statute that distinguished between citizens of the IK and its colonies who were patrial who could enter and settle in the UK and citizens of independent Commonwealth countries who could not.

ii. Annually renewed work permits replaced vouchers for non-patrials.

          e. 1999 and 2005 Asylum and Immigration Acts
          restricted benefits of
        f. 2006 three new acts come into force
          Terrorism Act
          Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act
          ID Card Act

Points based system

like US system

BBC stories on:

Welfare benefits to deportees cut
Lords throw out "section 55"

B. Immigrant Policies

1. UK policy rests on a notion of multiculturalism, defined as “not a flattening process of assimilation”, but “equal opportunity accompanied by cultural diversity”.

2. Since unrest of 90s and 9/11, however, greater stress on “assimilation” although not called that – called “nationalization” instead, consist of learning the language mainly

3. Overall, Britain’s policies are “gappy” as are those of the EU

Why?

Tensions between political goals and human rights commitment

Tensions between political pressure/reactions against immigrants/racism and lingo of "multiculturalism," "a community of communities" and tolerance

Is it state racism or response to public pressure (i.e. racism from the British public)?
Story on the media and racism in Blair's Britain

4. Or some other problem…

a. e.g. reaction to strain on welfare state
reaction to racial tensions/violence?

b. 1993 Stephen Lawrence murder

c. Economic strain**

See his comments on Lawrence case, situation in
North England towns of Bradford, Burnley, Oldham (47)

5. Geddes argues that there remains widespread and deep-seated discrimination against ethnic minorities in Britain while public opinion seems to be unsupportive of either immigration or immigrant policies

C. Europeanization of UK policy or UK influence on EU policy?
    1. Geddes argues for the latter
    2. evidence of increasing racialization of policy
    3. "fortress Europe" idea

   4.note: UK not part of Schengen
    incorporated into treaties by Treaty of Amsterdam 1997
    UK "opted out"

    generally reluctant to turn over issues of immigration policy, asylum,     etc. to EU becuase it senses this would WEAKEN its system, make its borders more porous rather than less so

    5. role of other entities in policing Europe's borders
    e.g. ferry companies, bus companies, company that runs the Chunnel
   French government set up camp at Sangatte for refugees seeking entrance to UK

Sangatte camp in France now closed