An article examined how national pride had changed in Britain since the beginning of the 1980s. There had been large declines in pride, and this was exclusively generational in nature – more recent generations had substantially lower levels of pride in 'Britishness' than previous generations.
Source: James Tilley and Anthony Heath, 'The decline of British national pride', British Journal of Sociology, Volume 58 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Dec
The government announced (in the Queen's Speech) plans to publish a draft Citizenship and Immigration Bill. Eventual legislation would take forward recommendations from a review of citizenship (led by former Attorney General Lord Goldsmith). The review was seeking to: clarify the legal rights and responsibilities associated with British citizenship, in addition to those enjoyed under the Human Rights Act; consider the difference between the different categories of British nationality; examine the relationship between residence, citizenship, and British national status, and the incentives for long-term residents to became British citizens; and explore the role of citizens and residents in civic society, including voting, jury service, and other forms of civic participation.
Source: Her Majesty's Most Gracious Speech to Both Houses of Parliament, 6 November 2007, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Queens Speech | Downing Street press release | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2007-Nov
An article said that the welfare of Britain's racial and ethnic minorities – measured by outcomes in every branch of welfare provision – had largely been disregarded by the state. Despite some liberal initiatives aimed at improving the lot of minorities, the racism inherent in policy and practice persisted.
Source: Gary Craig, '"Cunning, unprincipled, loathsome": the racist tail wags the welfare dog', Journal of Social Policy, Volume 36 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Oct
Royal assent was given (following a third reading) to an Act designed to provide civil remedies for those faced with forced marriage, and victims of forced marriage.
Source: Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 23 July 2007, columns 639-653, TSO
Links: Text of Act | MOJ press release | HOC research brief | Hansard (third reading)
Date: 2007-Jul
A government minister said that the amount of official material being translated by bodies such as local councils should be cut, in order to encourage immigrants to learn English.
Source: BBC report, 10 June 2007
Links: BBC report
Date: 2007-Jun
A think-tank report (by two government ministers) set out proposals designed to develop a stronger sense of British and local citizenship. Immigrants would have to 'earn' British citizenship under a points-based system: credit would be given to migrants doing voluntary work, but lost for breaking the law. There would be a 'national day' to promote a stronger sense of British identity.
Source: Ruth Kelly MP and Liam Byrne MP, A Common Place, Fabian Society (020 7227 4900)
Links: Report | Summary | Guardian report (1) | Guardian report (2) | BBC report
Date: 2007-Jun
A new book said that recent uncertainty about the nature of the English arose from more than just the challenges of devolution, or even the end of empire. It was rather the long-term result of the fact that Englishness was developed as a form of ethnic identity precisely for those who were not English, but who made up the English diaspora around the world.
Source: Robert Young, Idea of English Ethnicity, Blackwell Publishing (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Jun
A report by a government-appointed commission warned that new patterns of migration posed challenges to government, employers, local authorities, and trade unions to ensure that communities did not become divided. The government should set up a national body to manage the integration of new migrants.
Source: Commission on Integration and Cohesion, Our Shared Future, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Links: Report | DCLG press release | Speech | CEHR press release | Refugee Council press release | CRC press release | NLGN press release | LGIU press release | BHA press release | Conservative Party press release | IHRC press release | LGA press release | FT report | BBC report | Guardian report | Regeneration & Renewal report
Date: 2007-Jun
A journal special edition examined state racism in the United Kingdom.
Source: 'UK: Racism and the State 2007', Race and Class, Volume 48 Number 4
Links: Table of contents | IRR press release
Date: 2007-Apr
An article said that there could not be a single 'national story' of Britain; nor could one set of 'British values' be imposed as a condition of citizenship. Instead, an integrated society could only be built out of universal values of human rights, justice, and democracy ? the very values the 'war on terror' tended to undermine.
Source: Arun Kundnani, 'Integrationism: the politics of anti-Muslim racism', Race and Class, Volume 48 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Mar
A series of essays looked at issues of diversity and equality and their interaction with the commonly held notion of 'Britishness'.
Source: Nick Johnson (ed.), Britishness, Smith Institute (020 7592 3618)
Links: Report | Young Foundation press release
Date: 2007-Mar
The Prime Minister (marking the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade) called the slave trade 'one of the most shameful enterprises in history', and expressed 'deep sorrow and regret' for the United Kingdom's role in it.
Source: Speech by Tony Blair MP (Prime Minister), 25 March 2007
Links: Text of speech | Downing Street press release | Ekklesia press release | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Mar
Date: 2007-Feb
A report examined people?s self-described religious, political, and social identities. Class identity was as important to people as it had been in the 1960s, but was no longer related to a distinctive set of values. Religion as a social identity had declined significantly. Fewer people in England said that ?British? was the best way of describing themselves than in the early 1990s.
Source: Anthony Heath, Jean Martin and Gabriella Elgenius, 'Who do we think we are? The decline of traditional social identities', British Social Attitudes: The 23rd Report - Perspectives on a changing society, SAGE Publications Ltd (020 7324 8500)
Links: Natcen press release
Date: 2007-Jan
An independent review made a series of recommendations aimed at promoting diversity across the schools curriculum. It said that schools did not put enough emphasis on British identity and history. Secondary schools should teach cultural diversity and 'core British values' as part of the citizenship curriculum. A related research report containing a literature review was also published.
Source: Keith Ajegbo, Dina Kiwan and Seema Sharma, Diversity and Citizenship: Curriculum Review, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260) | Uvanney Maylor and Barbara Read, with Heather Mendick, Alistair Ross and Nicola Rollock, Diversity and Citizenship in the Curriculum: Research Review, Research Report 819, Department for Education and Skills
Links: Report | Research report | DfES press release | Citizenship Foundation press release | ASCL press release | PAT press release | ATL press release | LSN press release | Personnel Today report | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Jan
A report by the opposition Conservative Party examined the position of Muslim communities. A number of factors combined to set Muslim communities apart from the rest of society in ways which were unhelpful to the advancement of individuals and of Muslims generally. Muslim community organizations, of which there were many that did important social work, were not offering the leadership they should.
Source: Uniting the Country, Conservative Party (020 7222 9000)
Links: Report | Conservative Party press release | MCB press release
Date: 2007-Jan