Britain has a long history of both exporting members of its population (emigration) and receiving those who were born elsewhere (immigration). The numbers of the immigrant population, referring both to first-generation immigrants and those whose families have lived in Britain for several generations, has become a ‘hot’ political topic, with the Conservatives making an election pledge to bring net migration (the difference between the number of those leaving Britain and those entering) down to below 100,000 before the date of the next general election.
This article is the first of two on immigration, and takes a brief look at the history of immigration to Britain (and in particular England) by focusing on four different groups, whose people have been migrating to Britain for centuries. While concern about immigration, and relationships between the indigenous and immigrant populations, may be thought to be a relatively recent issue, this is by no means the case, as the following accounts will show.
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