One British Family(1974)
In the 1960s, as West Indians, Pakistanis, Indians and Africans began to arrive in Britain from former British colonies, race became a political issue. In the 1964 General Election, a swing to the Conservative Party in Labourâs Smethwick constituency and Enoch Powellâs ârivers of bloodâ speech on immigration four years later put attitudes towards ethnic minorities on the political and social agenda. In One British Family, made in 1974, John Pilger focuses on Gus and Julie Gill, who arrived in Britain from Trinidad in 1961. They now had three children and their own house on Tyneside, where they were the only black family in the street. âThey take less from the social services than the equivalent white families,â says Pilger. âTheyâre not on any councilâs housing lists and theyâve never been out of work.â