News & Views

In this blog post, we revisit the 1964 General Election, when a bitter campaign in a small West Midlands town became a defining moment in modern British race relations. The Smethwick election of that year is still remembered as one of the most openly racist political contests in British history. Sixty years ago, immigration — then as now — acted as a lightning rod for deeper economic and social anxieties. Smethwick, a modest town on the edge of the Black Country, became th

Reverend Clive Foster MBE has been appointed as the UK’s first Windrush Commissioner, a major step in the government’s commitment to right the wrongs of the Windrush scandal and ensure victims' voices are heard at every stage of reform. The announcement comes ahead of Windrush Day on 22 June, marking 77 years since the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush and celebrating the Windrush generation’s extraordinary contribution to Britain.

UK Black Civil Rights Timeline (1940–1970) Key events, figures, and legislation that shaped the Black civil rights movement in Britain 1940 – Colour bar on military officers begins to be dismantled During the Second World War, sustained campaigning by groups such as the League of Coloured Peoples and the West African Students Union led to the removal of regulations preventing anyone not of “pure European descent” from becoming an officer in the British armed forces.

Every year on the 22nd June the UK commemorates the contributions of Caribbean people to the post-war economy on Windrush Day. This year, we're not only marking the day itself but celebrating the entire month as Windrush Month. On 1st June, we launched our theme for the month: Legacies of Change - From Windrush to Justice, marking the 50th anniversary of the 1965 Race Relations Act.