National Windrush Day

Today is National Windrush Day. I’d like to put on record (for what it’s worth) my wholehearted support and sympathy for the Windrush generation.

Although I have never suffered the ill-treatment meted out to some of the Windrush generation by the Home Office, I feel close enough to them to have some appreciation. I arrived in the UK by ship from a Commonwealth country in 1968, and was given indefinite leave to remain in 1971. The only proof I have for this is a smudged stamp in an expired passport. On one occasion I was told by an immigration officer that I had no right to stay in the UK, and that he could exclude me with no right of appeal.

According to today’s news, the government, having received a report on the Windrush generation, have responded by setting up yet another inquiry. Will anything change?