Windrush - The Broken Promise
Both set of my Grandparents came here under invitation to help rebuild this country after the war. They were young, hardworking, ambitious, determined, stylish in their dapper suits and wear and came from beautiful paradise islands, with love, sunshine and hope in their hearts. Though their home was beautiful, years of colonial rule meant there were no opportunities there. The plan was to come to “Inglan” for a few years only, make some money and go back home.
My maternal grandfather had already worked & relocated to the US and Cuba before his 20s in search of opportunities, before finally settling here. They did not come to stay but the irony was that because of intense racism and bigotry they were forced to because barriers to employment and rent due to the colour of their skin “ no blacks, no Irish no dogs”, meant it took longer and longer to earn the money that they could return back home with to help their families- opportunities promised to them via invitation from the Queen. The streets were not paved with gold they were paved with the slippery bile of hate. And so they became trapped here in a sticky quagmire of earning enough for day to day survival but not enough to compensate for their labour or loss, not enough to return to their paradise islands, and so “Inglan” became the home of their children, and their children’s children, and children’s children children.
The Windrush generation and their families were invited to Britain and given indefinite right to remain. That's legal right to live here as British Citizens for the rest of their lives. Their labour helped rebuild and restore the British economy bolstering sectors such as the NHS, Industrial Factories and London Transport. Their taxes helped fund many public services, in fact many of the Windrush generation and their children worked as nurses to care for and look after the British sick, old and frail.
Yet a government decision in 2009 to destroy the landing papers of several of the Windrush children, and only proof of their commonwealth status means that many of them now in old age themselves, no longer have proof of their right to remain in the UK and thus no proof of their right to their own pensions, and use of public services that they have paid into for all these years. A more recent government decision to revoke protection from hostile immigration laws, for the Windrush generation, has meant that many are being asked to provide documented proof of their right to remain if they wish to avoid deportation even though they had lived most of their lives here. Even though they have paid into and contributed to British Public services and societies. Even though the British government had destroyed the very papers that could act as the proof that they are now asking for.
Many have been deported and many have been left homeless, and jobless, because new laws mean you need proof of British citizenship in order to apply for jobs and rent accommodation in the UK. Families have been torn apart as family members have been forced to leave the only homes they have ever known for countries they no longer have ties to or a support system in as they had come to Britain as children with their parents and grandparents. Now old themselves they no longer have the resilience of youth to start again and with no right to a pension in either country, many have been plunged into poverty. Some with ill health have even died. How is this anyway to treat the old and vulnerable? How is this anyway to treat human beings? Its certainly not anyway to treat the children of people who came by invitation to rebuild British economy and industry after it was left in ruins by the war. To say that this ordeal has been traumatic and unjust is a serious understatement, but there are no words to describe this heinous chain of events.
With a painful legacy of slavery and colonial rule, both of which the British were major players in, it's as if the Windrush generation have not suffered enough. Records found to be held by the National Archives offer new hope. The public outcry as the issue came to light has also forced Theresa May's government to back track and also offer those affected, compensation, but for many this is too little too late. The damage and emotional trauma has already been done.
As no one knows what the future holds, or what over laws and rights in the future will be reversed and scraped, this horrendous incident serves as a cautionary reminder to all to always have your legal documents in order, and provisions set in place for the future and old age if in a financial position to do so. The problem is, many are not.
My own granddad was a grafter and although he lived until 99 and he never really got old until his final years, when cancer ravaged his once powerful gait. Stronger and wiser than most he told me as you age, your dreams at night become your memories so make them beautiful, (Grand) Daughter 💔
Video below contains footage of the related public protests and outcry that had taken place in Windrush Square, Brixton, London:
