Would be good to mark the 60 years of Harrow council history in terms of the council’s progression over the years rather than raising emotions through sociocultural rhetoric, apparently to attract Reform UK potential voters!
Therefore, we have recently highlighted some of the council’s inceptions, like, the computer services, twinning with Douai and annual united act of Remembrance.
Now we look at another historic journey: processing in ‘Ugandan Asians’!
Under Cllr Cyril Harrison (Lab) leadership and in a historic move, Harrow council boldly decided to settle in Ugandan Asians in Harrow in the early 1970s, despite national and local hostilities (the argument was that the ‘influx’ of these Asians would put British resources under pressure).
a. In a statement made on behalf of the ‘far-right’ Conservative Monday Club, Ronald Bell stated that “These so-called British Asiatics are no more, no less British than any Indian in the bazaars of Bombay”: The Times – 7 August 1972.
The club was known for its contribution to the Conservative governments, the Conservative Party and the modern British Right, from the Club’s inception in 1961 to the fall of Margaret Thatcher in 1990.
b. On one occasion about three hundred members of right-wing organisations gathered in Heathrow, they held banners and called the airport workers to refuse to handle flights from East Africa, reported The Times on 13 September 1972.
c. The prospect of Ugandan Asians arriving in Harrow was first mentioned in the “Harrow Observer” at the beginning of September 1972, following a meeting of the Council’s Policy and Resources Committee on 31 August 1972.
d. Harrow Observer also reported that the Harrow MPs (Conservative) were of the opinion that Britain could not afford, in the face of persisting social problems, to receive immigrants, and intended to raise the matter before the annual conference of the Conservative party which was due soon (usual Conservative ‘immigration’ card play).
Hugh Dykes, MP for Harrow East, thought that if immigrants were to come, no more than 3 per cent of a local migrant population should be received – (Harrow Observer, 5 September 1972)
Hugh Dykes added that: “It would be madness for us to take many thousands of Ugandan Asians… It would also be unfair to Ugandan Asians to come into Britain in an atmosphere of fear and hostility”.
Interesting that now the Conservative MP for Harrow East, and the Harrow council administration that gained Harrow East ward seats, are in place because of the ‘Asians’ (according to the Census 2021, 42.6% Harrow population is Asians).
Therefore, we have recently highlighted some of the council’s inceptions, like, the computer services, twinning with Douai and annual united act of Remembrance.
Now we look at another historic journey: processing in ‘Ugandan Asians’!
Under Cllr Cyril Harrison (Lab) leadership and in a historic move, Harrow council boldly decided to settle in Ugandan Asians in Harrow in the early 1970s, despite national and local hostilities (the argument was that the ‘influx’ of these Asians would put British resources under pressure).
a. In a statement made on behalf of the ‘far-right’ Conservative Monday Club, Ronald Bell stated that “These so-called British Asiatics are no more, no less British than any Indian in the bazaars of Bombay”: The Times – 7 August 1972.
The club was known for its contribution to the Conservative governments, the Conservative Party and the modern British Right, from the Club’s inception in 1961 to the fall of Margaret Thatcher in 1990.
b. On one occasion about three hundred members of right-wing organisations gathered in Heathrow, they held banners and called the airport workers to refuse to handle flights from East Africa, reported The Times on 13 September 1972.
c. The prospect of Ugandan Asians arriving in Harrow was first mentioned in the “Harrow Observer” at the beginning of September 1972, following a meeting of the Council’s Policy and Resources Committee on 31 August 1972.
d. Harrow Observer also reported that the Harrow MPs (Conservative) were of the opinion that Britain could not afford, in the face of persisting social problems, to receive immigrants, and intended to raise the matter before the annual conference of the Conservative party which was due soon (usual Conservative ‘immigration’ card play).
Hugh Dykes, MP for Harrow East, thought that if immigrants were to come, no more than 3 per cent of a local migrant population should be received – (Harrow Observer, 5 September 1972)
Hugh Dykes added that: “It would be madness for us to take many thousands of Ugandan Asians… It would also be unfair to Ugandan Asians to come into Britain in an atmosphere of fear and hostility”.
Interesting that now the Conservative MP for Harrow East, and the Harrow council administration that gained Harrow East ward seats, are in place because of the ‘Asians’ (according to the Census 2021, 42.6% Harrow population is Asians).
Harrow Monitoring Group 
