Race Relations Act 1968
The Race Relations Act 1968 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom making it illegal to refuse housing, employment, or public services to a person on the grounds of colour, race, ethnic or national origins in Great Britain. It also created the Community Relations Commission to promote 'harmonious community relations'.
The Act made amendments to the Race Relations Act 1965. It was superseded by the Race Relations Act 1976.
The Act was criticised for poorly translating "new standards of behaviour" into an effective legal document. The bill which introduced the Act was the focus of Enoch Powell's Rivers of Blood speech, delivered to the West Midlands Conservative Association on 20 April 1968. Powell was sacked from Ted Heath's shadow cabinet the following day.
