Board of Deputies Criticize Immigration Bill for Racially Discriminatory Provisions

The Immigration Bill now before Parliament was the subject of a debate at today’s meeting of the Board of Deputies. Victor Mishcon, vice-president of the Board and chairman of the Jewish Defense Committee who introduced the debate, said that influential circles within British society, including such groups as the British Council of Churches and the Young Conservatives, considered this bill a “racial measure, harmful to race relations in this country.” He noted that particularly repugnant was the introduction for the first time of a division between those referred to as patrials and non-patrials. Patrials are those whose parents or grandparents had been British citizens. The Board of Deputies adopted an official position with regard to the Immigration Bill stating that it views “many of the bill’s provisions as racially discriminatory and is of the opinion that it will impede the work of those who, like the Board, are endeavoring to promote good race relations in this country.” While expressing critical views on other aspects of the bill, the Board expressed particular “apprehension as to the creation of a patrial and non-patrial status, the inclusion of the members of an immigrant’s family in a deportation order, and the lack of rights of appeal against a deportation order where no such rights are given in the bill.”

The Board expressed a hope that “immigration officers will carry out their duty without regard to the race, color or religion of people seeking to enter the United Kingdom.” Non-patrials of any race or color are restricted by the new bill governing immigration, if and when adopted. This last point is of relevance to Jews because many Australian, South African and Canadian Jews are non-patrials in the sense of this bill and could not come here with the same ease as their fellow citizens of British origin. In answer to a question, Alderman Michael M. Fidler, Board president pointed out that he had made it clear that he was supporting the Immigration Bill as a member of Parliament and not as president of the Board. He had made this clear both to the Board and in the House of Commons where it was recorded in the official report. Fidler announced that a delegation of the Board would visit the Home Secretary next Thursday to discuss the Immigration Bill.