Windrush commissioner: Apprehension and suspicion remains towards Home Office
Reverend Clive Foster, the first Windrush commissioner, has pledged to push for speedier payouts from a much-criticised compensation scheme for those affected by the scandal.
Last month just ahead of announcing his appointment, immigration minister Seema Malhotra confirmed around 64 claimants had died after applying for payouts, as she set out the Government's wish to speed up 'justice'.
On Wednesday, she will attend an event with Mr Foster where people affected by the scandal, which erupted in 2018 when British citizens were wrongly detained, deported or threatened with deportation despite having the right to live in Britain, will hear from the commissioner on his aims for his role.
A total of 10,326 claims had been made under the scheme as of May this year, according to the latest Home Office data.
The figures also showed that just over £112 million has been paid out so far, covering 3,334 claims.
In an interview with the PA news agency ahead of the event, Mr Foster said he will be advocating for a 'fair, accessible and trauma-informed' compensation scheme.
While some campaigners have called for the scheme to be moved out of the Home Office altogether, due to applicants' lack of trust in the department, Mr Foster appeared to disagree with such a change.
He said: 'I think what I will be pushing for is to make sure that this compensation scheme must be seen to be fair, accessible and trauma-informed, and I will be pushing to get swifter outcomes.
'I know there's been a call for movement into another area (out of the Home Office), but I think we should be careful what we wish for.
'I think it's important that we make the scheme workable.'
Asked if he felt moving it to another department might risk further delays to payouts, he said: 'I think that is a possibility.'
He said the Home Office would not want a situation where it has 'further 'reasons why it cannot be giving out fast decisions and compensation to people who have been terribly affected as a result of the scandal, and so this movement, I think, would inevitably cause some of that slowing down, and I think that is something that we have to be aware of'.
He said he had already pressed on the minister the need for guarantees around pension losses being covered by the scheme.
Ms Malhotra has previously said officials in her department are 'reviewing the current exclusion within the rules of compensation for private and occupational pensions'.
Mr Foster said he will work with 'like-minded campaigners' to address problems with the scheme and 'to inform the Home Office where they're getting it right and where they're getting it wrong, without fear or favour'.
Asked to describe the level of trust in the Home Office currently among those affected by the scandal, he said: 'I'm afraid I still feel that there is apprehension and some suspicion with regards to, 'is this working towards better outcomes?'
'What we need to accelerate is the actions and activities that are going to build trust. I always say 'you can't cross a bridge until you've built it.''
He said the department must show through actions rather than only words 'that there is going to be a culture change'.
Mr Foster, a senior pastor at a Pilgrim Church in and the son of parents who migrated to the UK from Jamaica in 1959, said he will 'be reaching out to communities and acting as that advocate and trusted voice, as it were, going forward'.
Among his top priorities will be ensuring people are comfortable to come forward and get the correct documentation to ensure they have settled status and are not 'wrongly classified as illegal'.
He said: 'People still need to feel that they can be respected and accepted to come forward without that fear of being penalised as a result of not having (the right documentation).'
Meanwhile, Mr Foster said he will also be working to ensure the legacy of the Windrush generation is celebrated in the future, including through the annual Notting Hill Carnival.
Campaigners last month called on the Government to step in to protect the future of the west London carnival, which they said was in jeopardy, as they asked for urgent funding to save the world-famous event.
Mr Foster said carnival 'brings so much to the country, and I think that is an expression of the Windrush generation legacy'.
He added: 'One of the things in my role would be to be looking to ensure that we continue to celebrate the legacy and the contribution of the Windrush generation, and carnival is one of those aspects, and I'll be happy to engage in conversations to look at that going forward.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
3 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Trump's DOJ to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell today
Advertisement Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche is interviewing British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell on Thursday. Multiple reports confirm that Blanche flew to Florida on Wednesday night to meet in-person with the convicted child sexual trafficking offender the next day. Blanche arrived at the federal courthouse around 9:00 a.m., and Maxwell's attorneys were also seen entering the building in Tallahassee. 'We're looking forward to a productive day,' Maxwell's appellate lawyer David Markus told ABC News. Maxwell, 63, is currently serving a 20-year sentence at a low-security prison in Tallahassee and is the only person serving time behind bars for Jeffrey Epstein 's child sexual crimes. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Tuesday that Blanche had requested an interview with Maxwell to ask Epstein's longtime girlfriend: 'What do you know?' Blanche, Bondi's No. 2 at the Justice Department, confirmed Tuesday the sit-down would take place 'in coming days.' It comes as Trump's DOJ remains embroiled in controversy for failing to put out the full Epstein-related files. MAGA supporters are demanding that Trump do more to get to the bottom of the Epstein files after the president campaigned on making information related to the convicted sexual offender public. It's unclear what Maxwell can reveal that isn't already public and the closed-door meeting is fueling skepticism over the handling of the Epstein files review. Maxwell is also on the books to testify before Congress on August 11. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) said the meeting is a way for the administration to 'secure a cover-up.' The Connecticut senator said that Blanche is conducting a 'secret meeting' in order to strike a 'secret deal giving her potentially a pardon for providing information favorable to Trump.' Maxwell has already made clear her intent to get her prison sentence absolved . Her lawyers asked the Supreme Court to take up her case, arguing the socialite should have never been charged because of a plea deal Epstein struck in 2008. 'President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence,' Blanche said in a statement posted to X by Bondi. 'If Ghislane Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say.' Maxwell's attorney David Oscar Markus told CNN the team is in discussions to have her tell her side of the story. 'I can confirm that we are in discussions with the government and that Ghislaine will always testify truthfully,' Markus said. 'We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case.' Just last week, the DOJ opposed Maxwell's request to have the Supreme Court review her case, with her lawyers claiming she should have never been charged because of a 2008 plea deal the courts struck with Epstein. Trump tried desperately to get his base to abandon criticism of Bondi and the FBI after a memo earlier this month concluded the review found no foul play in Epstein's death. MAGA supporters were particularly enraged that no new material was produced in the Epstein files review and that Trump's DOJ found no existence of a so-called 'client list' of high profile co-conspirators. The president even started calling the whole ordeal the 'Epstein hoax' and claimed Democrats were to blame for stoking conspiracies in an effort to divide Republicans. When that didn't work, Trump directed Bondi last week to request the Southern District of New York to unseal grand jury testimony in the Epstein court case. 'I've contacted her counsel,' Blanche said. 'I intend to meet with her soon. No one is above the law—and no lead is off-limits.' Some Trump loyalists still aren't buying the latest attempt to recover from the failure that this month has caused a rift in MAGA world. Leading the opposition to Bondi's investigation has been conservative personality Laura Loomer, who has taken to calling the AG 'Blondi.' She said on Tuesday that the action seems like a way to 'cope' with the growing uprising within the Republican Party. 'Why wasn't this 'interview' with Ghislaine Maxwell done on day 1?' Loomer questioned on X. 'Shouldn't they have already done this?' she continued. 'Maybe there is a mix up in communication. But I just can't help but wonder whether or not this has already happened. And if not, why?' Attorney and political commentator Ron Filipkowski said if Maxwell's statements implicate Trump, nothing will come out – but that if it exonerates the president, her sentence will be reduced. 'The truth is in the files, not from Maxwell,' Filipkowski wrote. Blanche still insists that the July 6 joint memo from the DOJ and FBI regarding the Epstein files review 'remains accurate.'
North Wales Chronicle
5 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Ministers urged to explain plans which could re-establish Hong Kong extraditions
The move could put at risk dissident Hongkongers who have fled to the UK to avoid recrimination by the Chinese government, a senior Conservative warned. Shadow Home Office minister Alicia Kearns urged the Government to ensure 'protections will be put in place to ensure no Hongkonger, CCP (Chinese Community Party) critic or anyone targeted by the CCP will be extradited under the new arrangement'. The UK's extradition treaty with Hong Kong was suspended by the then-Tory government after a new national security law was imposed on the territory by China in 2020. The treaty meant Hong Kong could request that someone living in the UK suspected of a crime at home could be handed over to face justice, and vice versa. Fears that the law could lead to human rights abuses were behind the UK's reasoning to put the agreement on ice. Ministers have now introduced a law change in the Commons which would tweak how Hong Kong is designated under the 2003 Extradition Act. The statutory instrument introduced in the Commons on July 17 would effectively establish a 'case-by-case' extradition route with Hong Kong, as well as Zimbabwe. It also changes how Chile is classified under the Act because the South American country has signed an international extradition treaty. In a letter to shadow home secretary Chris Philp seen by the PA news agency, security minister Dan Jarvis suggested the change was needed as no extradition to Hong Kong can currently be made 'even if there were strong operational grounds to do so'. Mr Jarvis added: 'The way to resolve this situation is to de-designate Hong Kong and Zimbabwe from the Act so that we can co-operate with them on the case-by-case ad hoc basis available for non-treaty partners. 'The safety and security of our citizens is our top priority. 'Ensuring that territories are correctly designated under the Act will ensure that the UK can accept extradition requests in a lawful and timely way to ensure the public is not put at risk.' Writing in response to Mr Jarvis, shadow minister Ms Kearns questioned why the Government had taken the step, as she said the situation in Hong Kong had 'worsened' in the years since the national security law was introduced. She pointed to the case of Jimmy Lai, the 77-year-old British national and proprietor of the Apple Daily newspaper, who is facing detention by the Chinese government, as well as other critics of Beijing. 'Has the Government assessed political freedom and the rule of law have been returned to Hong Kong, or have you decided these issues are no longer saleable alongside the 'reset' in relations between the UK and China?' Ms Kearns asked in her letter. Government plans to reintroduce extradition cooperation with Hong Kong are highly concerning. Why does the Government deem this reasonable when freedom of expression, political freedom and the rule of law in Hong Kong have been crushed by The National Security Law and the… — Alicia Kearns MP (@aliciakearns) July 24, 2025 In a post on social media, she added: 'I urge the Government to give urgent reassurances on how this system will be safely managed and what protections will be put in place to ensure no Hong Konger, CCP critic or anyone targeted by the CCP will be extradited under the new arrangement.' The Hong Kong national security law criminalises anything considered to be secessionist from China, and has led to a crackdown on critics of Beijing. Some 150,000 Hongkongers have moved to the UK under a special visa scheme launched in early 2021, after the law was introduced. Since coming to power, Labour has sought to reset relations with China with the aim of boosting trade, after the Conservatives took an increasingly hawkish attitude towards the country while they were in office. In a statement, security minister Mr Jarvis said it was 'entirely incorrect to say the UK has restored extradition co-operation with Hong Kong'. He added: 'The 1997 treaty remains suspended and this legislation simply completes the severing of ties between the British and Hong Kong extradition systems. This amendment is in order to give legal effect to the suspension of the extradition treaty with Hong Kong.' The Government is 'unwavering in its commitment to upholding human rights, the rule of law, and the safety of all individuals in the UK, including the many Hong Kongers who have made this country their home', Mr Jarvis said.
Rhyl Journal
5 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Ministers urged to explain plans which could re-establish Hong Kong extraditions
The move could put at risk dissident Hongkongers who have fled to the UK to avoid recrimination by the Chinese government, a senior Conservative warned. Shadow Home Office minister Alicia Kearns urged the Government to ensure 'protections will be put in place to ensure no Hongkonger, CCP (Chinese Community Party) critic or anyone targeted by the CCP will be extradited under the new arrangement'. The UK's extradition treaty with Hong Kong was suspended by the then-Tory government after a new national security law was imposed on the territory by China in 2020. The treaty meant Hong Kong could request that someone living in the UK suspected of a crime at home could be handed over to face justice, and vice versa. Fears that the law could lead to human rights abuses were behind the UK's reasoning to put the agreement on ice. Ministers have now introduced a law change in the Commons which would tweak how Hong Kong is designated under the 2003 Extradition Act. The statutory instrument introduced in the Commons on July 17 would effectively establish a 'case-by-case' extradition route with Hong Kong, as well as Zimbabwe. It also changes how Chile is classified under the Act because the South American country has signed an international extradition treaty. In a letter to shadow home secretary Chris Philp seen by the PA news agency, security minister Dan Jarvis suggested the change was needed as no extradition to Hong Kong can currently be made 'even if there were strong operational grounds to do so'. Mr Jarvis added: 'The way to resolve this situation is to de-designate Hong Kong and Zimbabwe from the Act so that we can co-operate with them on the case-by-case ad hoc basis available for non-treaty partners. 'The safety and security of our citizens is our top priority. 'Ensuring that territories are correctly designated under the Act will ensure that the UK can accept extradition requests in a lawful and timely way to ensure the public is not put at risk.' Writing in response to Mr Jarvis, shadow minister Ms Kearns questioned why the Government had taken the step, as she said the situation in Hong Kong had 'worsened' in the years since the national security law was introduced. She pointed to the case of Jimmy Lai, the 77-year-old British national and proprietor of the Apple Daily newspaper, who is facing detention by the Chinese government, as well as other critics of Beijing. 'Has the Government assessed political freedom and the rule of law have been returned to Hong Kong, or have you decided these issues are no longer saleable alongside the 'reset' in relations between the UK and China?' Ms Kearns asked in her letter. Government plans to reintroduce extradition cooperation with Hong Kong are highly concerning. Why does the Government deem this reasonable when freedom of expression, political freedom and the rule of law in Hong Kong have been crushed by The National Security Law and the… — Alicia Kearns MP (@aliciakearns) July 24, 2025 In a post on social media, she added: 'I urge the Government to give urgent reassurances on how this system will be safely managed and what protections will be put in place to ensure no Hong Konger, CCP critic or anyone targeted by the CCP will be extradited under the new arrangement.' The Hong Kong national security law criminalises anything considered to be secessionist from China, and has led to a crackdown on critics of Beijing. Some 150,000 Hongkongers have moved to the UK under a special visa scheme launched in early 2021, after the law was introduced. Since coming to power, Labour has sought to reset relations with China with the aim of boosting trade, after the Conservatives took an increasingly hawkish attitude towards the country while they were in office. In a statement, security minister Mr Jarvis said it was 'entirely incorrect to say the UK has restored extradition co-operation with Hong Kong'. He added: 'The 1997 treaty remains suspended and this legislation simply completes the severing of ties between the British and Hong Kong extradition systems. This amendment is in order to give legal effect to the suspension of the extradition treaty with Hong Kong.' The Government is 'unwavering in its commitment to upholding human rights, the rule of law, and the safety of all individuals in the UK, including the many Hong Kongers who have made this country their home', Mr Jarvis said.
