London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Windrush scandal: Government must publish report institutional racism, lawyer says

Windrush scandal: Government must publish report institutional racism, lawyer says

A lawyer for Windrush victims says the government must publish a report which suggests institutional racism at the Home Office caused the scandal.

The report, seen by the BBC, says UK immigration laws from 1950 to 1981 were designed in part to "reduce the number of black or brown people".

It also found these laws negatively affected black people more than other minority groups.

The Home Office said the report was by an independent author, and not policy.

The internal report was commissioned by the Home Office and followed the official independent review of the Windrush scandal which was led by Wendy Williams. in 2018.

It set out in part to educate Home Office staff in Britain's colonial history, the history of migration and the history of Black Britons.

In the report - which was first leaked to the Guardian - the unnamed author questions the Williams review, which stopped short of blaming institutional racism.

The report's author, a historian, asks: "How is it possible that a policy whose failure affected specifically black people was not the product of institutional racism?

"If we are to understand anything about Windrush and its implications for policy making at the Home Office, an understanding of history is essential."

Key findings highlight that the scandal was caused in part by a failure to recognise that changes to British immigration law over the past 70 years had a more negative impact on black people than on other racial and ethnic groups.

The Windrush scandal led to hundreds of people being told they weren't entitled to live in the UK


The review concludes that: "Every single piece of immigration or citizenship legislation between 1950 and 1981 was designed, at least in part, to reduce the number of black or brown people permitted to live and work in the UK".

It also describes a contradictory immigration policy that assumed that too many immigrants from minority ethnic backgrounds were bad for society, whilst race relations policy promoted the idea of racial equality.

Jacqueline McKenzie, an immigration lawyer at Leigh Day who supports Windrush victims, has called for the report to be released.

She said failure to do so was an insult to those affected - and that many victims had told her that they wanted to understand what happened as part of the healing process.

The government should publish the internal report, says lawyer Jacqueline McKenzie


A Home Office spokesperson said: "This report does not represent government policy and the views included in it are those of the author who is a historian independent from the Home Office."

The Windrush scandal led to hundreds of people, many of whom were invited by the British government and arrived from the Caribbean between 1948 and 1971 - had being told they were not entitled to live in the UK after many years in the country.

The scandal broke in April 2018 and saw the UK government apologise for deportation threats made to Commonwealth citizens' children.

Despite living and working in the UK for decades, it emerged many had lost homes, jobs and access to welfare benefits and NHS services after being wrongly classed as illegal citizens under strict Home Office immigration policy - while some were wrongly detained and even deported.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
×