Impact of the Economic Crisis on Immigration Policy: Case Study of Great Britain

This thesis explores the impact of economic crisis on immigration policy in Great Britain. This thesis will start with the theoretical framework. Historical overview of British immigration policy will follow, together with its culmination into the current situation. At the same time, this thesis will focus on integration policy in Great Britain. Afterwards, this thesis will examine the current composition of the immigrant population living in Great Britain, also compared to other countries of the European Union. Chapter on public opinion will be included as well. The main body of this thesis follows the evolution of anti-immigrant rhetoric in times of the 2008-2009 financial crisis. Two traditional political parties of Britain will be observed, Labour and Conservatives, together with UKIP, infamous for its xenophobic statements. The result of this thesis is an evaluation of the effects of economic crisis on anti- immigration rhetoric as well as on realpolitik. This thesis confirms that in certain cases, economic crisis can intensify anti-immigration sentiments by creating conditions suitable for development of anti-immigration rhetoric. UKIP shrewdly took advantage of this fact and managed to attract significant portion of the 'left- behind' electorate. The real changes in British immigration..