Victims of the Windrush scandal have finally been promised swifter justice after years of failure.
The Home Office has announced a new Windrush Commissioner will be appointed, and better support given for those applying for compensation. The shameful scandal saw dozens of British citizens wrongly deported, while many more were detained, lost their jobs and were denied medical care and benefits.
Campaigners accused the Tory Government of “waiting for us to die off” amid huge failure to deliver payments. Earlier this year the Home Office said it had received over 7,800 claims, but just 2,097 had resulted in payments. More than 50 victims had died while waiting for a settlement.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has vowed the new Government will do better. She said the scandal is “rightly recognised as a period of national shame”.
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Ms Cooper continued: “The hurt and anguish felt by so many has been compounded further for those who haven’t received the compensation and justice they are owed. The Windrush generation have been let down and we are committed to a fundamental reset of the response to this scandal.”
She vowed to work more closely with victims to ensure “dignity can be restored to those so tragically affected”. In a statement the Home Office said there would be a “fundamental reset” to the Windrush generation.
It has allocated £1.5million to provide support for those applying to the Windrush Compensation Scheme. The department’s Windrush Unit has also been re-established after being scrapped by the Tories.
In April scandal victim Conroy Downie, 67, who was still waiting for his claim to be settled, said: “”It’s a failure, it’s disgusting. I think they are waiting for us to die off.” Mr Downie, who twice faced deportation, said “the system has failed us”.
At least 83 people were deported after the Government refused to accept their right to live in the UK. A damning report in 2020 found the Home Office had shown “ignorance and thoughtlessness”. The Government has been heavily criticised over its failure to address the sickening injustice faced by thousands, who were entitled to be in this country.