Windrush review promised as Labour accuse government of a ‘cover up’

Theresa May has promised that a review of the Windrush generation scandal will have “full access” to Home Office information amid accusations of a “cover up” from Labour.

The Prime Minister attempted to head off a Labour bid to secure internal Home Office documents by promising a “package of measures to bring transparency on the issue”.

Labour attempted to use parliamentary procedure to force ministers to hand over correspondence – including text messages and emails – between ministers, officials and special advisers between May 2010 and 2018. Fearing a defeat in the vote, Conservative MPS were issued a threeline whip to oppose the motion.

At PMQS, Mrs May said Home Secretary Sajid Javid would set out the actions being taken by the government on the issue. She said that “speed is of the essence” and that Mr Javid “will be commissioning a full review of lessons learned, independent oversight and external challenge with the intention of reporting back to this House before we rise for the summer”.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said the scandal “exposed something rotten at the heart of government” and called for “full disclosure of the facts”.