Government knowingly broke equality laws when implementing the hostile environment, report reveals

The government knowingly broke equality laws when implementing “hostile environment” measures which led to the Windrush scandal, a report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) revealed today.

The EHRC assessment found that negative consequences from the policy on members of the Windrush generation were constantly ignored, dismissed or their severity disregarded.

It added that there was limited engagement with representatives of that generation, even as the severe effects of hostile environment policies began to emerge.

The EHRC recommended the Home Office should consider the historical context and cumulative implications around immigration policies.

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Campaigners and Labour MPs condemned the government’s actions and called on it to compensate the victims — a promise which Boris Johnson’s cabinet has failed to keep.

BAME Lawyers for Justice said the findings were “no surprise” and called on the Home Office to withdraw a chartered flight to Jamaica next week, in line with the report’s recommendations.

The flight on December 2 will deport children and grandchildren of the Windrush generation who have lived in Britain since childhood and are now raising British families of their own, the group said.

They noted in a statement: “If it goes ahead, the proposed charter flight will only serve to exacerbate the collective trauma experienced by the black British community as a result of the Windrush scandal.

“It remains a shocking stain on the conscience of Britain that so many Windrush victims have still not been compensated — some dying without redress.”

Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said the government “should be deeply ashamed” by the findings and called for ministers to “work urgently to rectify this,” including by “getting a grip” on the compensation scheme, which he said has “descended into an offensive mess, piling injustice upon injustice.”

Labour MP David Lammy, who organised the cross-party letter referring the Home Office to the EHRC last year, said: “Black Britons were detained, deported, denied healthcare, housing and employment by their own government because of the colour of their skin.

“Since the scandal broke, the Home Office has only paid lip service to its victims. It must now urgently rectify this gross injustice.”

The Home Office said it is committed to entering into an agreement with the EHRC to make clear the actions the department will take to avoid similar events occurring.

Morning Star