Migration shake-up ‘dangers repeat of shameful Windrush scandal’ warning
Windrush Commissioner Rev Clive Foster warned Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood not be wary of ‘unintended consequences’ from her migration shake-up as MPs voiced their fury
New hardline asylum laws risk a repeat of the Windrush scandal, ministers have been warned.
The Windrush commissioner, Rev Clive Foster, has urged Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to be wary of “unintended consequences” of her clampdown, which was unveiled last week. Under the Government’s plans, people granted asylum status would face reviews every 30 months and could be removed if their homeland is deemed safe.
On top of that, successful asylum seekers would have to wait 20 years before getting settled status. The Government has pledged to ramp up removals, including of families with children – sparking a backlash.
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Furious MPs called called on Ms Mahmood to rethink the reforms, which were branded “un-British” by critics. Mr Foster told the BBC lessons must be learned from the horrific injustice suffered by thousands of Commonwealth citizens who were wrongly classified as illegal immigrants. Many were denied healthcare, jobs and housing, while some were deported due to Home Office failures.
Mr Foster said: “I think it’s a danger because there’s a political rhetoric and concern about immigration, I really believe we have to learn the lessons of Windrush. People who had the legal and moral right to be in the country lost all those rights, people were unintentionally caught up and suffered tremendously, we cannot allow another Windrush scandal.”
He said hardened language is having an impact on communities, leaving them feeling “disconnected”. Mr Foster, who has met hundreds of people during a Windrush Listening Event tour since June, called for more focus on “fairness, compassion and justice”.
He said: “On my tour I am hearing people talk about their concern that the hard-won gains over the years of safeguarding citizenship may be lost as a result of this type of rhetoric.
“What’s really concerned me is how people feel a disconnection to a country that they should be calling home.”
Home Office minister Mike Tapp said no final decisions had been made on the plans, which are currently being consulted on. He was faced with anger from MPs voicing their anger.
Labour backbencher Imran Hussain told a Westminster Hall debate: “She (the Home Secretary) does not speak for me. Imitating Reform will only lead to further hatred and division on our streets, and is not the way forward, forcing people to wait ten, 15 and even 20 years for settlement.”
Fellow Labour MP Rachael Maskell said changing the rules to affect people already in the country was not fair. She said: “Our word must be our word. It must be honored.
“Many have fled to our land for sanctuary, safety and security, and we cannot change the terms retrospectively, nor should we.” She added: “So I’ll say it plainly today, I believe governments have got this wrong.”
And Labour’s Bell Ribeiro-Addy said: “The measures that we’re discussing today are about retrospectively making regularized migration more stringent. So they actually won’t have any impact on channel crossings, but rather cause for uncertainty for many people who are settled and taxpaying families.
“And this is not just Hongkongers, it’s actually people from all over the world who are equally deserving of our compassion.”
Lib Dem Will Forster told MPs: “The government plans to move the goalposts and change the rules for those with humanitarian visas after the match has kicked off.
“That is fundamentally unfair, it’s un-British and Parliament must not allow the government to do this”
Mr Tapp told the debate: “Change is urgently needed, but I can assure members that in pursuing these reforms, we do so with a keen sense of our international and historic responsibilty and the recognition that this is a fair and tolerant country, a country that welcomes those who come here legally to contribute and is compassionate to the plight of those fleeing peril.”
Responding to Mr Foster’s remarks, a Home Office statement said: “We have learned lessons from the Home Office Windrush scandal to ensure such an outrage can never happen again. This government will not remove indefinite leave to remain from people who have lawfully made this country their home.
“We recognise the need to get these reforms right, which is why we have launched a consultation, and we encourage people to contribute and have their voices heard.”
