Britain since 1945

The decades after the Second World War brought enormous social, cultural, and political change to Britain — immigration from the Commonwealth, the dismantling of empire, a social revolution in the 1960s, conflict in Northern Ireland, and Britain's changing relationship with Europe all left their mark on modern British identity.

After the Second World War, Britain faced a severe shortage of workers to help rebuild the country and staff its new public services, including the NHS. The British government encouraged immigration from countries of the British Empire and Commonwealth.

The most significant early wave of immigration came from the Caribbean. On 22 June 1948, the ship Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks in Essex, carrying nearly 500 passengers from the Caribbean — mostly from Jamaica. They were among the first of many thousands who came to Britain from the Caribbean in the late 1940s and 1950s.

In the following decades, large numbers of people also came from India, Pakistan, and later Bangladesh, as well as from East Africa and other parts of the Commonwealth. These communities settled mainly in cities such as London, Birmingham, Bradford, and Leicester, and made enormous contributions to British society, culture, and the economy.

The immigrants who arrived in Britain between 1948 and 1971 are known as the Windrush generation. They had the right to live and work in the UK as British subjects under the British Nationality Act 1948.

The post-war period saw the rapid dismantling of the British Empire, as colonies across Asia and Africa gained independence. India and Pakistan became independent in 1947. Many other countries followed over the next two decades.

Most former British colonies joined the Commonwealth of Nations — a voluntary association of countries, many of which were formerly part of the British Empire, which maintains political and cultural ties with Britain. The British monarch is the head of the Commonwealth.

The 1960s brought profound social and cultural change to Britain — sometimes called the Swinging Sixties. Britain became a world centre of fashion, music, and youth culture.

Key developments of the 1960s include:

• British popular music — bands such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones became global phenomena; Britain led the world in popular music
• Fashion — designers such as Mary Quant pioneered the miniskirt and made London's Carnaby Street and King's Road global fashion destinations; the model Twiggy became an international fashion icon
• Social liberalisation — laws were changed to decriminalise homosexuality (1967) and to allow abortion (1967) in England, Scotland, and Wales
• Women's liberation — women increasingly entered the workforce and campaigned for equal pay and equal rights

Parliament passed several important laws to address racial and sexual discrimination:

• Race Relations Act 1965 — made racial discrimination in public places unlawful
• Race Relations Act 1968 — extended the law to cover employment and housing
• Race Relations Act 1976 — strengthened the law further and established the Commission for Racial Equality
• Sex Discrimination Act 1975 — made it unlawful to discriminate against people on the grounds of sex in employment, education, and other areas
• Equal Pay Act 1970 — gave women the right to equal pay with men for equal work

From the late 1960s until 1998, Northern Ireland experienced a prolonged period of violence and civil unrest known as The Troubles. The conflict was primarily between:

• Unionists/Loyalists — mainly Protestant, who wished Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom
• Nationalists/Republicans — mainly Catholic, who wished Northern Ireland to join the Republic of Ireland

The violence involved paramilitary groups on both sides, as well as the British Army and police. Thousands of people were killed over three decades.

The Good Friday Agreement (also known as the Belfast Agreement) was signed on 10 April 1998, bringing The Troubles to an end. It established:

• A power-sharing government in Northern Ireland (the Northern Ireland Assembly)
• Cross-border co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
• Decommissioning of paramilitary weapons

The Good Friday Agreement is widely regarded as one of the most significant peace agreements of the 20th century.

In 1973, Britain joined the European Economic Community (EEC) — also known as the Common Market — a grouping of European nations committed to free trade and economic co-operation.

The EEC later became the European Union (EU). Britain's membership was put to a public vote in a referendum in 2016, in which the British public voted by 51.9% to leave the European Union — a decision known as Brexit. Britain formally left the EU on 31 January 2020.

In 1997, the newly elected Labour government under Tony Blair held referendums on devolution in Scotland and Wales.

As a result:

• The Scottish Parliament was established in 1999 at Holyrood in Edinburgh, with powers over areas including health, education, and some taxation
• The National Assembly for Wales (now known as the Senedd Cymru) was established in 1999 in Cardiff, with more limited powers
• The Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont in Belfast was also established in 1998 as part of the Good Friday Agreement

England does not have its own devolved parliament and is governed directly by the UK Parliament.

Up next: Chapter 4 — A modern, thriving society — explore British culture, traditions, sport, the arts, and the values that define life in the UK today.