Lammy’s plea over Windrush promises

Promises made to people caught up in the Windrush scandal must be guaranteed in law as a matter of urgency, David Lammy has said in an impassioned speech to MPs.

The Labour MP, who appeared to become emotional as he spoke, accused the government of trying to distract from the crisis by talking about illegal immigration, describing such a connection as “deeply offensive”.

During a debate in Parliament Mr Lammy, whose father came to Britain from Guyana in 1956, said there was now a lack of trust between people whose lives had been so negatively affected by the government’s immigration policies and the Home Office.

He said: “This not about illegal immigration, this is about British citizens and frankly it is deeply offensive to conflate the Windrush generation with illegal immigrants to try and distract from the Windrush crisis.”

He urged the government to turn its pledges on compensation, and a lowering of the burden of proof when it comes to assessing Windrush cases, into guaranteed rights.

He said: “I say to the minister, warm words mean nothing, guarantee these rights and enshrine them in law as soon as possible and review a hostile environment that turns everybody that is different in this country into someone who is potentially illegal.”

Mr Lammy addressed the Commons Petitions Committee during a debate on a petition calling for an amnesty for the Windrush generation.

Pictures: PA. Top: Flowers are delivered to the home of Amber Rudd after she resigned; above left: James Brokenshire replaces Sajid Javid as local government secretary; shadow home secretary Diane Abbott asks questions on the Windrush controversy in the House of...

David Lammy: Impassioned speech.