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Working Paper: May 2021 the Leicester Mercury: Race on the Front Page

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Working Paper: May 2021 the Leicester Mercury: Race on the Front Page Working Paper: May 2021 The Leicester Mercury: Race on the Front Page. A working paper collating all references to race and immigration on the front page of the Leicester Mercury from January 1967 to December 1979. This period saw rapid immigration of East Africa Asians to Leicester and the rise and fall of the National Front in the City. Search Terms; Immigration, Racism, National Front, Kenyan Asians; Ugandan Asians; Leicester Mercury; AIMS Anti-Immigration Society; Unity Against Racialism. For further details contact. Dr. Liam McCarthy, Honorary Fellow, HYPIR, University of Leicester. Email: [email protected] Liam McCarthy, HYPIR, University of Leicester. May 2021 Leicester Mercury: Race on the front page, 1967-1979. This working paper is based on research into the change in front page coverage of the Leicester Mercury on immigration, race and ethnic minority subjects between 1967 and 1979. This period was key in the history of race relations in the Leicester highlighted by increasing immigration to Leicester from Kenya in the late 1960s, Uganda in the 1970s and the rise and fall of the anti-immigration National Front as a sustainable electoral force in the city by 1980. The coverage of these issues by the Leicester Mercury during this period has been described in the existing literature on immigration to Leicester as racist.1 This working paper challenges this view and asks to what extent was the Leicester Mercury leading the debate around immigration or following events as any responsible local newspaper should do? The answer lies somewhere in between but a change in the coverage of the issues in the Leicester Mercury is discernible from the mid 1970s. The tables on the following pages show all of the stories featuring immigration, race or ethnic minority subjects that the Leicester Mercury placed on its front pages between 1967 and 1979. Over this thirteen year period 365 stories featured on the Leicester Mercury front page. Given that each year the newspaper published on an average of 290 days this suggests that on average stories appeared every ten days. However, in tabulated form the trends and high points become clearer. LEICESTER MERCURY FRONT PAGE STORIES: IMMIGRATION, RACE & BAME SUBJECTS Page Number Year Local National Total in this paper. Stories Stories 6 1967 12 0 12 7 1968 29 26 55 10 1969 13 6 19 11 1970 9 14 23 12 1971 9 9 18 13 1972 57 9 66 17 1973 18 6 24 19 1974 40 5 45 21 1975 17 2 19 22 1976 15 7 22 24 1977 17 2 19 26 1978 17 5 22 28 1979 21 0 21 Total 274 91 365 Source: Leicester Mercury, ROLL&R. 1 For example, see: V. Marett, Immigrants Settling In The City, (Leicester University Press: Leicester, 1989) and J. Herbert, Negotiating Boundaries in the City, (Ashgate: Abingdon, 2008). 2 Liam McCarthy, HYPIR, University of Leicester. May 2021 Over the period the number of national stories declines. This is accounted for by the design of the paper as it gradually reduced the number of front page stories from as many as twelve to settle on one or two major stories by the end of the decade. There are also years in which the number of front page stories is far higher than in others. This shows a newspaper following news events as they occur rather than one with an editorial imperative to drive an anti- immigration agenda forward. This can be better seen in chart form. FRONT PAGE STORIES FEATURING IMMIGRATION, RACE OR ETHNIC MINORITIES. 70 60 National 50 Local 40 30 20 10 0 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 Source: Leicester Mercury, ROLL&R. The three stand out years are 1968, 1972 and 1974. In 1968 two major news stories dominated the news agenda around immigration; Enoch Powell made his ‘rivers of blood’ speech in April 1968 and the Labour Government responded to increasing Asian immigration from East Africa, notably Kenya, by introducing a new Immigration Act. In Leicester there was a sharp rise in immigration and the Anti-Immigration Society was launched via a full page advert in the Leicester Mercury. In 1972 Idi Amin, the President of Uganda, gave Asians ninety days to leave the country and many as holders of British passports headed for Britain. Leicester became a major destination and anti-immigration sentiment led to an increase in support for a fledgling 3 Liam McCarthy, HYPIR, University of Leicester. May 2021 National Front branch in the city. A strike at Mansfield Hosiery Mills in Loughborough became a proxy for racial antipathy as Asian strikers fought for wages and recognition with the Unions and the company. In 1974 another strike featuring Asian workers in the city dominated the agenda, this time at Imperial Typewriters. The National Front used the strike as a focus for its racially motivated policies as it fought local seats in the two general elections in February and October.2 However, restricting the search to days which only featured immigration the picture is different. Both 1968 and 1972 stand out as years in which immigration features strongly. This is understandable as they are years in which immigration levels to the city from Kenya (1968) and Uganda (1972) peaked. DAYS IN WHICH FRONT PAGE STORIES FEATURED IMMIGRATION. 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 Source: Leicester Mercury, ROLL&R. The most toxic year in the race relations of the city was 1976. The National Front gained 18.5 percent of the vote in the city council elections, but this year does not stand out as one in 2 For more information on the strikes see; J. Wrench, ‘Unequal Comrades: Trade Unions, Equal Opportunity and Racism’, Policy Papers in Ethnic Relations No.5, Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations, University of Warwick, April 1986. 4 Liam McCarthy, HYPIR, University of Leicester. May 2021 which the Leicester Mercury accentuated the racial problems in the city on the front page. For more information on the electoral record of the National Front in the 1970s and the British National Party see my working paper ‘The National Front and the BNP in post- immigration Leicester’. In the following tables the stories are set out as printed in the newspapers and available to view on microfiche at the Record Office for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Generally, the stories are not accompanied by commentary, although some context is added where appropriate. I have included quotes from the Leicester Mercury editorial columns where they make significant points. I believe these tables will allow academics to find ‘jumping-off’ points when researching the race relations of post war Leicester. In any event I hope it will make the Leicester Mercury, which has yet to be digitised, more accessible. Liam McCarthy, Honorary Fellow, HYPIR, University of Leicester. 18 May 2021. 5 Liam McCarthy, HYPIR, University of Leicester. May 2021 Leicester Mercury Front Pages. Front page stories featuring Immigration, Race, or Ethnic Minorities. 1967 Date Story Local Nat. 15 February Mr. Patel Richer By £25,000. X Local pools winner. Came to Leicester from Bombay in 1962. Driller at Ratby Engineering. Spoke through an interpreter. 09 March Inside page feature on upcoming BBC Radio Leicester (launched n/a November 8). Includes a spoof schedule which suggests; ‘6.30 pm, The Singhs – A story of everyday Highfields folk’. 14 March CITY TEACHERS URGE MIGRANT QUOTA FOR X SCHOOLS. The National Association of School Masters argues Leicester school should have a maximum quota of 30% of migrant children. The report suggest the Director of Education, Elfedd Thomas is to issue a report ‘on problems of migrant children’. 18 March First Coloured Man Joins City Police. X Clyde Walker from Antigua becomes a special constable. 18 April Ban on Indian Lifted – Now He Can Marry. X Young boy allowed to marry in Leicester – the story suggests there was some confusion about his age. 28 April Gang Wreck Negro Youths’ Flat in ‘Race Raid’. X Court case coverage. 30 May Through Highfields with Band and Banner. X Black church recruiting / mission parade. There is a big photograph on the front page. 27 July Highfields Doubtful on New Race Laws. X Interviews with people in Highfields; ‘little United Nations’ of Leicester. Reporting on Immigration legislation. 15 August INDIAN LEADER FINED £200 FOR DUTY EVASION. X Leading Indian citizen brings in Saris without paying customs duty. 02 September CITY HOME FOR BACKDOOR IMMIGRANTS. X Suggests ’30-60 illegals’ from India and Pakistan have been smuggled into Leicester. No attributable sources just ‘police and immigration authorities’ but report states; ‘Inquiries are difficult, for many immigrants have the same two or three names and look very alike’. 27 September Shalwar Pact for School Peace. X Muslims accept a compromise on shalwar trousers for girls at Moat School. 11 October Cambridge Place for Indian Boy. X Picture of boy accepted to study medicine at Cambridge. Report says family arrived in Leicester in 1956. Mother teaches immigrant women about health. 15 November ‘Racial Explosion’ Warning to Education Committee. CITY X IMMIGRANT ARRIVALS HAVE DOUBLED. Up to 80 per month seeking school places. Councillor Hadyn Williams who is ‘concerned over the numbers who can’t speak English’ is quoted; ‘if we don’t do something about this soon then the sort of racial explosions that are common place in America will become common place in this country and this city’. On P21: Councillor is challenged on immigrants statement. Balances the story a little. 6 Liam McCarthy, HYPIR, University of Leicester.
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