The year is 1946. You're on a tropical island of the Caribbean looking for work and you hear the news that World War 2 has finished, and so dawns an opportunity. As part of the Commonwealth, so if you wish, you can come to the UK to help rebuild Britain post World War 2. A golden opportunity to start a fresh, given work in a completely different country and able to experience a completely different culture. You take the opportunity with two hands and you jump on board a ship to embark on a new journey. You work, live, pay taxes, buy a house and settle down with a family. You grow old enough to see your grandchildren and watch the UK evolve over time, integrating and becoming more diverse.
Fast forward 72 years on and the same life you’ve lived has now been threatened. You’re now being told that the life you’ve created is now in jeopardy. You risk being deported back to your Home country without a chance of to challenge this decision.
This horrendous scenario isn’t one from a dystopian future, this is the reality for thousands of citizens from the UK who have been threatened to not be able to step foot into the country and wrongfully accused of being an 'illegal immigrant.’
Who are the Windrush Generation?
The 'Windrush Generation' refers to the thousands of citizens/servicemen arriving in the UK between 1948 and 1971 from Caribbean countries, as a response to post-war labour shortages in the UK. Arriving at the Tilbury Docks, Essex, on 22nd June 1948, 492 people from Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and other islands all boarded the MV Empire Windrush ship travelling miles upon miles on the water to the UK from the Atlantic, docked in Kingston Jamaica. Thousands of citizens would soon follow all trying to either helped rebuild, re-join the RAF or just to see what England was like. Some whom were already in the UK at the time ‘sent for' their loved ones so they could come over to the UK and be with them.
In 1948, around the same time, The British National Act had just been passed, giving the status of ‘citizenship’ of the United Kingdom Colonies to all British subjects connected with the UK or the British colony. This meant that a new status of "citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies" (CUKC) was created for people born naturalised in either the United Kingdom or any of its colonies.
Upon arrival, many of them became manual workers, cleaners, drivers and nurses, paying taxes and fuelling the economy at the time post World War 2. This influx of culture and heritage broke a new ground in the representation of Black British culture in western society introducing food, music, clothes, language and so much more to the UK.
However, all this came to an end with the Immigration Act 1971, this meant that Commonwealth citizens already living in the UK were given indefinite leave to remain. This means that these citizens were admitted to the UK without a time limit on their stay, and were legally allowed to work and study without any restriction. Some also applied for dual citizenship and complete British citizenship.
So what's the problem now, in 2018 and why has this happened?
Following changes to immigration laws in 2012, which came into force when Prime Minister Theresa May was Home Secretary, employers, landlords and the NHS now have to demand evidence of legal immigration status.
Also in 2009, the UK Border Agency initiated the destruction of the landing cards, this was under the Labour party but didn’t actually take place till 2010 under the Conservative party. This was done under legal obligations held over the UK Border Agency, that obligation was the Data Protection Act 1998.
It is unclear how many people belong to the Windrush generation since many of those who arrived as children travelled on their parents’ passports, some didn’t apply for travel documents and at the time most definitely wouldn’t have needed too.
Now in 2018, 500,000 people resident in the UK were born in a Commonwealth country and arrived before 1971, this includes the Windrush arrivals according to Oxford University Migration Observatory. This was also confirmed by Office of National Statistics, there is a slight difference between the two which raises the question of the validity of either.
What we can see from this data is by 2011, there was 599,078 people in England and Wales born in Commonwealth countries before 1971, which is regarded the cut off point. Of that figure ,90% of these people held a UK passport, whilst 21,053 which adds up to 3.5 percent didn't have a passport. What should also be added here is that 6% held passports from other Commonwealth countries.
In addition to this the figures from the Office for National Statistics show that by 2011, there were 144,395 people in England and Wales who were born in the Caribbean who arrived before 1971. Out of this number, 92% held a UK passport whilst 3.6 percent, 5,193, didn't have one at the time.
What we can take from this data is firstly, it is hard to estimate whom between that time period of 1948-1971 who in fact out of that 3.5 percent was apart of the Windrush Generation. This is described as not the original 492 citizens from Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago other islands via the MV Empire but the ones years following who also helped rebuild Britain post World War 2. It is hard to distinguish exactly as an example someone who came over in 1965 and helped and some who came 15 years prior and did nothing.
Secondly, whilst its clear the 6% of Caribbean citizens who didn't have a passport who arrived before 1971, what we fail to acquire is of that 5,193, which citizens decided to apply for a passport, and if they did are the included in the data presented, and also it exposes the potential option that maybe they applied for their passport successfully in just after the report from the Office of National Statistics in 2011. This could be a contribution of things but one that would’ve helped with the data would be the destruction of the landing cards. People born in Jamaica and other Caribbean countries are thought to be more affected than others from different Commonwealth nations.
Potentially, if the assignment was postponed for a year it may have came to government attention the number of people who didn’t have passports, what demographic they were from and what potential problem it could cause for them in the future, that with the intention of implementing stricter immigration laws.
The impact and affect it's been having.
Ironically, in light of the announcement that the Commonwealth Games, set to take place in 2022 in Birmingham and the celebration of 70 years’ anniversary since the Commonwealth Windrush Generation of people came to Britain, we find our self with endless accounts of people being mistreated, threatened to be deported and some actually sent back home. Even the lengths of being stopped from coming back into the country.
Michael Braithwaite, a grandfather was let go by his workplace after being deemed an illegal immigrant. Michael described the incident as awful. "My whole life sunk down to my feet." He said it took him “2 years to rationalise everything inside” and come to terms with what happened.
Michael struggled for the next two years before being issue a document that proved his legal 'immigration' status. One of the many cases of people who faced this threat to their world.
Paulette Wilson, 61, a grandmother and well respected member of her community here in the West Midlands is an example of someone who had to fight to stay in Britain. Over the past 2 years, Paulette, from Wolverhampton has been denied benefits, access to healthcare and even refused permission to work.
"I was unbearably upset and and annoyed at what happened. I've lived and worked here since I came over in the 50’s, never done anything wrong and lived a good honest life. It’s just terrible how I’m being treated, and so many of us." Considerably distraught she found it difficult to convey the pain she had to suffer.
"One day, I got a letter from the Home Office, telling me to register each month at the Solihull immigration centre."
It's only this early this year, she received "leave to remain" in Britain after the 2-year struggle.
However, many MP's who have been front and centre of the scandal, defending the victims claim that a “leave to remain” is not enough, and the government will need to give a serious form of compensation.
What's being done now?
At the beginning of April, OBE awarded, Patrick Vernon started the petition for amnesty to be given to "anyone who was a minor that arrived in Britain between 1948 to 1971" via the governments website. It's creator, activists Patrick whose parents migrated to the UK from Jamaica in the 1950s called for "justice for tens of thousands of individuals who have worked hard, paid their taxes and raised children and grandchildren and who see Britain as their home."
Now, as of beginning of May, the petition gained 179,199 signatures which triggers the topic area past the first level of "government response" but now to “parliament will debate” level. The petition sparked serious tensions when front runners of the scandal David Lammy and Dianne Abbot spoke publicly on the story and even appeared on BBC News night, bringing the issue to a lot of the UK public. This resulted in many public figures such as Levi Roots and Lenny Henry speaking out on the issue.
Soon after this, the issue was raised within the House of Commons as an urgent question and debate. This scrutiny and questioning became too much for Amber Rudd, resulting in the Home Secretary resigning after apologising for the “appalling” treatment of the migrants. The resignation came in light of her misleading Parliament and the public proclaiming, she did not have targets for removing illegal immigrants. However, the following Sunday the Guardian published a letter in which Ms Rudd set out her “ambitious but deliverable” aim of 10% more deportation of illegal immigrants in the “next few years.”
Whilst the new Home Secretary Sajid Javid has been appointed, Theresa May and her cabinet now faces the bombardment by her the other side of the house. As well as this, she personally apologised to Caribbean leaders. She said she was “genuinely sorry” about the anxiety caused by the Home Office threatening the children of the Commonwealth.
Theresa May went on to say that she doesn't want “anybody to be in any doubt about their right to remain here in the United Kingdom.” A new taskforce and helpline has been created for those people who arrived from Commonwealth countries decades ago in hopes to “resolve” the situation. She also went on to say that these people should “not be left out of pocket” and as a result would not have to pay for documentation.
But while that can be comforting, some feel deeply affected to the point where simple solutions for the problem are not enough, and this failing is just a true reflection of how little is thought of the Windrush Generation and the work they did for Britain.
