Windrush commissioner ‘must hold Government to account'
An 'outstanding candidate' is being sought to take on a role which campaigners said must see the Government held to account over its engagement with the Windrush community.
The post of Windrush commissioner has been advertised as a three-day week role with an annual salary of £130,000 and for a three-year term.
Last October Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed that, as per Labour's manifesto, a commissioner would be appointed as she committed to a 'fundamental reset of the response to this scandal'.
(The commissioner must) have the power and resources to engage with Windrush victims and community advocacy organisations, hold the Government to account and drive positive change
Jeremy Crook, Action for Race Equality
The Windrush scandal – which campaigners have since said should be known as the Home Office scandal – erupted in 2018 when British citizens were wrongly detained, deported or threatened with deportation despite having the right to live in Britain.
Many lost homes and jobs and were denied access to healthcare and benefits.
The job description published on Thursday, and open for applicants until March 20, states that the commissioner will work with the Home Office 'to deliver long-awaited justice for the Windrush and Commonwealth communities, and to drive real and sustained cultural change across the department'.
But it adds that the chosen person will be independent of the Home Office, 'serving as an independent advocate and trusted voice for victims, families and impacted communities'.
I am looking for an outstanding candidate to take on the post of Windrush commissioner, someone with... the ability to engage with a diverse range of individuals, including victims, their families
Sir Matthew Rycroft
Home Office permanent secretary Sir Matthew Rycroft, in a foreword to the appointment, said: 'I am looking for an outstanding candidate to take on the post of Windrush commissioner, someone with a proven track record of strategic leadership, a clear vision for driving impactful change, and the ability to engage with a diverse range of individuals, including victims, their families, representatives, and stakeholders from across a range of backgrounds and viewpoints.'
Jeremy Crook, chief executive of Action for Race Equality, said the commissioner must have 'the power and resources to engage with Windrush victims and community advocacy organisations, hold the Government to account and drive positive change'.
The Black Equity Organisation (BEO), said: 'We are encouraged to hear that one of the Windrush Commissioner's responsibilities is to 'act as a trusted voice for victims and Windrush communities and relevant organisations affected by the Home Office Windrush Scandal'.
'We look forward to knowing who has been appointed to fill this important role and await details of the independent Advisory Assessment Panel members who are to be recruited as part of the selection panel.'
Migration and citizenship minister Seema Malhotra said the appointment 'will mark a vital step in resetting the Government's response to the Home Office Windrush scandal and delivering the change that the victims of this scandal want and deserve to see'.
She added: 'This independent advocate will ensure the voices of victims and communities are heard and acted on throughout government.
'By engaging with communities, driving improvements, and holding government to account, the commissioner will help ensure that lasting change is delivered and the lessons of the past are truly learned.
'The Home Secretary and I look forward to working side by side with the successful candidate in this crucial work to ensure that such an injustice can never happen again, and that dignity is restored to those who have suffered.'
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