1894

First unsuccessful attempt to bring in legislation against Jewish immigration

1901

Royal Commission on Immigration, chaired by the Tory MP Major William Evans-Gordon

1901

British Brothers League formed

1905

Aliens Act passed.
Created immigration officers with the power to control who entered Britain. Refuse entry to those considered 'undesirable'. Immigrants required to have a minimum of £5 on arrival

1906

Incoming Liberal government, which had earlier opposed the Act, enforced it

1914

Aliens Restriction Act passed in a few hours on the first day of World War

1919

'Temporary' Aliens Restriction Act reinforced

1930s

Jews fleeing Nazi persecution prevented from settling here unless they have a 'sponsor'

1938

'Kristallnacht' pogrom in Germany and Austria. Thousands of child refugees enter on the 'kindertransport'. Parents are denied entry and perish at the Nazis' hands.

1940s

Jews reaching Britain's shores during World Ward II often interned as 'enemy aliens'. Some share detention camps with interned Nazis

1948

'Windrush' ship brings 492 Jamaicans – the first major immigration from the Caribbean

1950

Labour Cabinet discusses 'the means of preventing any further increase in the coloured population of this country

1958

Anti-immigration Tory MP Cyril Osborne declares: 'It is time someone spoke out for the white man and I propose to do so'

1962

Labour Party opposes the Tories Commonwealth Immigrants Act limiting further immigration principally from the Caribbean

1965, 1968

Labour Government strengthens immigration laws against Commonwealth immigrants. Door remains wide open for white Britons who had emigrated to colonies, their children and grandchildren.

1968

British passport-holding Asians living in East Africa denied the right to settle in Britain

1971

New Immigration Act abolishes the categories of 'aliens' and 'British subjects'. Creates new categories of patrials and non-patrials. Patrials (UK born grandparent – largely white) can continue to settle; non-patrials including Caribbean and Asian communities, formerly British subjects, can no longer settle. Dependants of immigrants arriving before '71 Act is enforced have the right to settle but many are divided from their families for several years 'proving' their relationships for sceptical civil servants.
Primary immigration ended. Future immigration linked to work permits for specific periods.

1993-2004

Series of Asylum Acts tightening controls on potential asylum seekers

2004

Increasing European integration enables workers from many parts of Europe, including eastern Europe, to seek temporary work in different EC countries, including the UK. Residence rights possible after repeated renewals of work permits.