Windrush Generation

And all of it driven of course by targets
Unfortunately targets have been a fact of life now for many, many years and, whilst I can see the reasoning behind them, in most cases the statistics are numbers of people.
Schools, hospitals, other areas of the health service, the civil service, the police - all are target driven and I do not think for the better.

Thanks, bmacca

Benjamin Zephaniah's article in the Guardian about them was published on Friday 27th. I wonder if it was to remind MPs, before the 2nd reading, of the Chagossian's plight

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/27/windrush-scandal-uk-immigration-chagos-islands-benjamin-zephaniah

Maizie d

"And after the second reading, POGS?

The bill clearly cannot have been enacted, else there wouldn't be any problem now."

Has the second reading been heard ?

Sorry, meant to add that the debate was postponed in March until 27 April. I don't know if it went ahead last Friday

Corbyn has been a long time supporter of the Chagos Islanders and raised it on the Marr show last week. This is the latest update I can find, from March from their support site:

Ahead of the planned Second Reading of Henry Smith's Chagossian Citizenship Bill on 16 March, the issue of Chagossian citizenship has been raised again by Democratic Unionist Party Human Rights Spokesperson Jim Shannon

Mr Smith's Bill, if successful, would allow those descended from people born on the Chagos Islands to claim British Overseas Territory Citizenship. This in turn makes it easier, simpler and much cheaper to access UK citizenship. It would be an equivalent status to those born on other Overseas Territories like the Falkland Islands or Bermuda, and would remedy one of the consequences of the brutal deportations of the 1960s and 1970s.

Principally it would help reunite Chagossians families separated by the cost and complexity of visa and citizenship law and regulations. It would also release Chagossian families from a huge financial and emotional burden of spending years trying to negotiate a highly complex immigration system. For more information about Henry Smith's Chagos Citizenship Bill, formally called the British Indian Ocean Territory (Citizenship) Bill, is available elsewhere on our website.

The response to Immigration Minister Caroline Noakes gives little indication of the government's likely response to the Bill. It is of course true that there is currently no provision to give "third-generation" Chagossians born in exile access to UK citizenship. But this is precisely what the Bill seeks to change.

The Minister is though incorrect to say "the government undertook a consultation on this issue in 2015." The consultation in question explicitly stated any measures to address immigration and citizenship issues that keep Chagossian families separated were "out-of-scope." The consultation document can be found on the UK government's website (see point number 7 for the "out-of-scope" comment).

Thanks to Jim Shannon and Henry Smith for keeping the pressure on the government to do something about the terrible injustice of Chagossian families being forced apart even now in 2018.

And after the second reading, POGS?

The bill clearly cannot have been enacted, else there wouldn't be any problem now.

For those interested in the Chagos Island affair when Harold Wilson made the decision to exile the Islanders you might find this interesting?

hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-01-16/debates/756419D0-DD6F-43BB-906A-812F1B1D61BF/BritishIndianOceanTerritory(Citizenship)

Henry Smith (Crawley) ( Conservative )

I beg to move,

That leave be given to bring in a Bill to allow persons descended from individuals born in the British Indian Ocean Territory to register as British overseas territories citizens; and for connected purposes.

This Bill will allow individuals descended from the Chagos Islands to register as British citizens in recognition of the fact that their parents and grandparents were forcibly exiled from that UK overseas territory. It seeks to ensure a measure of justice for those who lost their homeland and all it represented in the late 1960s.

The treatment of the Chagossian people has been raised many times in this House and in Westminster Hall, not only by me but by many colleagues on the all-party parliamentary group on the Chagos Islands; it is my privilege to serve as vice-chair. It is important for me to place on record my thanks to colleagues on both sides of the House for their support for the Bill, including those sponsoring the legislation. They represent seven parties in this place. The good wishes of Parliament for the Chagossian people continue not only to hold firm, but to grow in strength.

I am sure that I need not recap the tragic events that have led to this moment, but I believe it necessary in order to put the Bill in context and to grasp the gravity of Chagossian history. It was almost half a century ago that then Prime Minister Harold Wilson gave an Order in Council to remove the inhabitants of the British Indian Ocean Territory so that a UK-US military base could be established on the strategic main island of Diego Garcia. In the years that followed, a community that had lived peacefully found itself exiled and ignored with scant regard for its rights or wellbeing. We cannot change history, but we can support those removed from their homeland and their descendants who are not covered by the existing law and protections that, as Britons, they should enjoy.

The legislation currently assumes that just one generation of Chagossians will be born in exile and, although many members of the community born in exile have received British citizenship, their children have not. As such, when these families have come to the UK, as is their right, their children have been treated as immigrants like any others by the Home Office. Therefore, they are subject to the usual financial costs and administrative implications. At this time, we can ease the burden. We can provide assistance to those whose story is not recognised in the country that removed them from the place—a British territory—that they call home. Of course, had the population not been evicted half a century ago, all born on the islands would already have British citizenship status.

Crawley is home to perhaps the largest Chagossian population in the world, and it is my privilege to stand up for that community in Parliament and locally. Today I ask right hon. and hon. Members to allow this Bill to progress and allow those descended from individuals born in the British Indian Ocean Territory the ability to register as British citizens. The Bill would simplify ​nationality law so that anyone who can prove that they are of Chagossian descent becomes eligible to register as a British overseas territories citizen.

I continue to support the right of return of the Chagossian people. That would likely be a staggered process. I am in no way convinced by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s objection to the pilot resettlement. In 2016, the Government announced that, rather than a right of return, there would be a support package of £40 million delivered over a 10-year period to go to the Chagossian community in Crawley, elsewhere in the United Kingdom, and in Mauritius and the Seychelles, where most were exiled to. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is continuing to engage with local authorities, including my own, with regard to that assistance. There is a real importance to ensuring that that support goes as far as it can and leaves a long-standing mark for the benefit of those who were exiled and their descendants.

This is an issue I have continued to raise on behalf of my constituents. As a result, I have received an apology from the Minister for Europe and the Americas for the UK’s historic treatment of the Chagossian people. I have also welcomed to 10 Downing Street constituents who have organised petitions in support of this community.

It is easy to talk about what happened half a century ago, to speak of a £40 million package, or to talk about justice for the Chagossian community, but behind each of these subjects is the knowledge that we are talking about people, a number of whom are here in Westminster today, and many more will be watching across the country and, indeed, around the world. On previous occasions when this issue has been debated in Parliament, there has been a strong Chagossian contingent watching in the Public Gallery, and I am pleased to see that we are again joined by members of the community. Their dignity and dedication in campaigning to have back what was taken from them is an inspiration. This community is at the forefront of our thoughts today.

I want to praise the Government’s wider work in the field of human rights—in particular, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s four main priorities of tackling modern slavery; defending freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression; ending inequality and discrimination; and promoting democracy. The work of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, spearheaded by my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary, is vital and deserves our support. British work on these issues throughout the world—particularly with tomorrow’s launch in Parliament of the 2018 World Watch List in mind—represents what we stand for. I am sure that all in this House would agree with the salience of such values forming a vital part of our foreign policy. However, the treatment of the Chagossian people by successive British Governments remains a shameful aspect of our past and indeed still today in the present.

I mentioned earlier the all-party parliamentary group, of which I am vice-chair. I pay tribute to the group’s chairman, my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell), who has with steadfast vigour stood up for the rights of the Chagossian people. I am not questioning the issue of UK sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory. Indeed, I am grateful to the Foreign Secretary for his continued defence of UK sovereignty over this territory.​
Around the world, our great nation is known for its values, including the traditional sense of British fair play. I am a patriot and I love my country. We do have a proud history and, I believe, a bright future. But our nation’s treatment of the Chagossian people is a blight on our country’s conscience—one that we can start to put right by helping these Britons all to become British overseas territories citizens. I commend the Bill to the House.

Question put and agreed to.

Ordered,

That Henry Smith, Andrew Rosindell, Catherine West, Martyn Day, Mike Kane, Sir Henry Bellingham, Kate Hoey, Caroline Lucas, Patrick Grady, Jim Shannon, Stephen Lloyd and Hywel Williams present the Bill.

Henry Smith accordingly presented the Bill.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 16 March and to be printed (Bill 150).

And all of it driven of course by targets imposed by the HO, which Amber Rudd first claimed didn't exist, then called local and now has admitted are national. So the poor workers in immigration are expected to take the flak.

It appears it's deportation by Technology. Yes more government departments services have been outsourced to private companies who use low paid agency workers to use tick-box questionnaires on a computer screen with no room for human interpretation or reasoning.
If the computer says 'No' then you go!

If this is really the case, what sort of twisted mind thinks this is OK?
It probably is true MaizieD

Like the cases of Zimbabwean teenagers being forcibly sent back when they reached the age of 18; a girl knowing she would be forced to join Mugabe's army for national service and the possibility of being raped.
The elderly South African woman being deported now she is ill even though all her family live here and she has no relatives left in SA.
A young mum married to a British man with a British child under threat of deportation, on the news yesterday or the day before.
The Australian mother under threat of deportation even though she has a British husband and three British children
etc etc etc

Rules made to enable the deportation of illegal immigrants with criminal records are being used right across the board without any thought, reason or compassion.

The interpretation of the rules by over-zealous civil servants could be blamed but some of these services have been outsourced to firms such as Capita.

Goodness, what dreadful treatment. I think this deserves genuine outrage. I wonder how many more skeletons will come out of the cupboard?

I'm having trouble taking this one in, Eloethan

WE (i.e the British govt) threw them off their homeland islands and made them stateless. We kindly allowed those directly affected to take British citizenship but they can't pass it to their descendants? But the descendants don't have a homeland/state? If they have 10 grand to spare they can buy British citizenship...?

If this is really the case, what sort of twisted mind thinks this is OK?

In The I yesterday it was reported:

"Children of exiled Chagos Islanders raised in the UK face being split from their parents and deported as part of the Home Office's crackdown on immigration.

"The Chagossian people were forcibly exiled from their island home in the Indian Ocean by Britain in the late 1960s and early 1970s, after the islands were leased to the US military to build a base there.

........."legislation was subsequently passed to give native Chagossians and the first generation born in exile British citizenship. But their children have been denied the same rights.

"It means that children who came to the UK as dependants of Chagos Islanders with British citizenship since 2003 are viewed as migrants once they turn 18. Families now face charges of £10,000 to try to gain British citizenship for their children."

These people were forcibly removed from their homes and sent to Mauritius or the Seychelles, where many of them lived in poverty. In my view, the act of removing them was an absolute disgrace, and such disgrace is compounded by the way these people are being treated now.

She should resign but they're all pretty disreputable aren't they, including Theresa May.

They have all played a part in creating the problem, ignoring it, minimising it, and finally pleading they had no knowledge of the impact the changes would have (and yet they were told) and no direct responsibility for the implementation of those policies (it was "the State" wot done it missus).

trisher
Yes
All this resignation lark is a load of rubbish.
If they have truly caused the mess they should clear it, why expect someone else to deal with it?

So Amber Rudd lied about targets to the House of Commons Should she really be allowed to remain?

What happened to the principle that the buck stops with the boss?
There have been too many errors, anyone with integrity would have resigned ages ago.
Trouble is, who can take over?

Thanks for your concern,GillT57 but I think the pollyannas should be aware of the facts that they are steadfastly ignoring.

Perhaps they would like to explain why concerns about the treatment of the WG were ignored when they were raised in 2016. The administrative cockup theory looks more and more pathetic in the light of this.

In April 2016, the then Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond - who is now the chancellor - was told by Caribbean ministers about immigrants facing deportation despite having lived in the UK for most of their lives, and the BBC understands a report about their concerns was passed to the Home Office, which was led at the time by Mrs May.

May has since been forced to apologise for the WG's appalling treatment and pretends she didn't know what was going on. I'm sure that the Commonwealth Heads didn't attach much value to her hollow words. They really just served to remind the world once again that the UK is being led by a charlatan and further erodes our diminishing stock of International respect. It puzzles me why any patriotic UK citizen should continue to have any respect for this mean minded and hypocritical woman. Unless, of course, they share the same mindset.

and anyway, it doesn't affect anyone they know so.....
But you don't know that do you, and it is not just the Windrush generation who have been unfairly treated by officials.
This has been discussed previously before the Windrush debacle came to light.

whereas some people may believe that policies set by governments and ministers contain rules and regulations which may occasionally be open to different or misinterpretation by over-zealous jobsworths in the civil service and that mistakes may be made - which must be put right.

Incompetence is an occasional feature of any enormous government department. It's not exactly unheard of for the Home Office to be not quite up to its enormous task

In fact, almost any MP will tell you about the kind of delays and frustrations they hear from some of their constituents about the Home Office's handling of immigration cases, affecting all sorts of different nationalities.

Maizie, just give up. Those of us who believe that this was a despicable act by a nasty party, will continue to believe it. Some will always have a pollyanna attitude, believe all is wonderful in this most wonderful of countries, and anyway, it doesn't affect anyone they know so.....

And so we come full circle.

Did you not notice that I'd moved on to talking about ILLEGAL immigrants? Which the Windrushers are not.

But some of the WG have been subject to the 'deport first' treatment. Either deported or not let back into the UK. As a direct result of the May strategy.

They aren't the only people who have been treated unfairly under her regime. Did anyone notice this in 2016?

www.independent.co.uk/student/news/theresa-may-wrongly-deported-48000-students-after-bbc-panorama-exposes-toeic-scam-a6958286.html

I agree Baggs in fact a kindly description would be ‘glass half empty’ sorts.
Being constantly outraged must really take it out of a person.
Note I say constantly.

Maizie
No they didn't. But on another occasion when coming back into Bulgaria from Romania we were told we had 24 hrs to leave the country ( by the border guard) because our visa had run out. Our fault.
Thank god for our wonderful lawyer. She had a lot of 'connections'