Labour accuses Government of trying to gag Windrush scandal victims

SENIOR Labour politicians have accused the Home Office of trying to “buy the silence” of victims of the Windrush generation scandal.

Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott accused the Government of trying to “gag” Windrush generation victims paid compensation as a result of immigration blunders by imposing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).

The reported that an NDA had been used on at least one person and another had been approached to agree such a deal.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid told MPs in July that a new compensation scheme for Windrushera migrants would not involve gagging clauses.

“No one will be asked to sign any kind of non-disclosure agreement or anything like that,” he said.

But just days earlier – on July 13 – he had written to the Home Affairs Select Committee to say payments had already been made through other routes in some cases and there could have been the use of an NDA.

Ms Abbott said: “The Windrush generation has been failed time and time again by this Government.

“The Home Secretary promised to ‘do right’ by our fellow citizens from the Windrush generation yet it appears he has gone back on his word.

“The Home Office must not attempt to buy the silence of citizens who have been so shockingly wronged and had their rights so gravely infringed in return for compensation that they are entitled to.

“The Home Office must compensate all those who have suffered without further delay and without any form of non-disclosure agreement.”

A Home Office spokesman said: “There will be no requirement or need to sign a nondisclosure agreement for any individual who receives compensation through this scheme, and the Home Secretary has already made clear his intention to take this different approach for the Windrush generation.”