Who Takes the Rap – Immigration
‘Who Takes the Rap – Immigration’ covers the history of immigration law in Britain from 1903 to 1986. The tape describes how different groups of immigrants arrived for work in the UK, only to find increasingly restrictive laws which kept them in low-paid, unskilled work and identified them as “undesirable”. Footage of the Garners' Steak House strike and the Grunwick strike is included to show how these workers fought back against racism. Specific laws are examined and the tape includes interviews with a number of immigrant women. The voices of two women rappers provide the commentary throughout, and the story of one woman's experience in trying to bring her son into Britain runs intermittently through the tape, reinforcing its theme.
Description source: Cinenova Catalogue (1994). Edited by Kate Norrish. Editorial committee: Elaine Burrows, Liane Harris, Helen de Witt
