Thread by @Franziipan

@IanDunt

A lot of talk about Enoch Powell, his speech, the UK's attitude then and now towards immigration and integration - amongst other things.

Here's my thread on what my parents experienced...

Ever wondered why there is a lack of integration in England’s towns and cities? Why do so many people from the Indian sub-continent move to one area of a city, so many West Indians to one area – very often the same or similar area? 1/

My father was born in East Africa where his father was Chief Medical Officer to the British armed forces in East Africa and the west of India. My father was British from birth. At the age of 20, he moved to England. 2/

His first employer said he would refer to my father as Jonny as he couldn’t say his ‘foreign’ name. My father’s name was Edgar; an English Christian name. My father said he would refer to his manager as Mr. Patel to make it easy for himself. The humour was lost on his manager. 3/

In the same year, 1950, my father rented a house but was only told of properties being available in one area. In 1962, he attempted to purchase a house in a predominantly white, middle-class suburb of Nottingham. 4/

The estate agent moved the advert aside and showed him properties for sale in one particular zone of an inner-city area. My father reiterated he liked the other house and wished to view it. He was ignored and asked to look at the other properties. 5/

He declined the offer and was subsequently told the property was unsuitable for him. A lady working in the estate agent’s recognised my father from church and spoke with him that Sunday. 6/

She explained the estate agents had been informed by the government that immigrants are to be placed in a designated zone of the city. 7/

My father had an English accent and spoke English perfectly. He had grown up with the British in East Africa and India. He returned to the estate agent and was once again refused a viewing. His brown skin-tone was a disqualifying factor. 8/

My mother, a white immigrant from Ireland, and the Monsignor of Nottingham Cathedral, in civilian clothing, requested to view the house. The agent suggested they look at other properties where there were more Irish people. They declined to do so. 9/

My mother and the Monsignor viewed the property pretending to be husband and wife. They agreed to purchase the house and returned to the estate agent’s office to complete the documents. 10/

The Monsignor, still masquerading as my father, asked the Estate Agent to sign the forms to show he was happy with the terms of sale. As soon as the papers were signed by the Agent, the lady at the front desk called the Agent out of the room. 11/

My father quickly walked in, signed the forms and left the room promptly. Elaborate but necessary. The purchase went through and my father returned to the estate agent to collect the keys. After an initial exchange of words, they keys were handed to the legal owner. 12/

It was 23 years later, in 1985, we had our first non-white neighbours. 13/

A government’s actions can have long-lasting repercussions on the make-up of a country and the integration of people entering the UK. You may not even realise it was the government who created this whole problem. /14

So, when people from other countries come here now, they find so many from their country of origin already living in certain areas and they too move there.

Perhaps like Brits moving to Fuengirola, Benidorm... and opening bars, cafés, shops etc that cater for themselves.

Integration doesn't magically happen. Especially not when institutions direct them into living in areas where they will not be integrating with white British people who have lived here so much longer.

#EnochPowell was divisive as was government policy for many years.