Meanwhile in the UK, the punkmovement took on the mantle of political protest from its folk and rock forebears, with groups such as The Clash criticizing racial disharmony in British society.
The difficult economic conditions, combined with racial tensions, sparked widespread rioting in Britain's inner cities and made her the ripe target for an emerging generation of musicians such as Elvis Costello and Billy Bragg who were associated with the country's punkmovement.