Commonwealth citizens once enjoyed the right to live, work and settle in the UK without any restrictions. But a racist backlash against Black and Asian immigration led to legislators introducing immigration controls in the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962, which were broadened by the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1968 to deprive East African Asians of the right to settle in the UK.

Its shameful successor, the Immigration Act 1971 continues to form the basis of our xenophobic immigration laws today.

A lecture by Leslie Thomas QC

The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:

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