The Home Secretary has appointed senior pastor Reverend Clive Foster MBE as the first Windrush Commissioner – delivering on the government’s manifesto commitment to achieve justice for victims of the Home Office Windrush scandal.

The announcement comes ahead of Windrush Day this Sunday (22 June), marking the 77th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush to Britain and the community’s extraordinary contribution to this country.

This appointment forms part of the Plan for Change to ensure lessons from past injustices are fully embedded across government policy.

The commissioner, a newly created role on a 3-year term, will provide independent oversight of the government’s work to address the Home Office Windrush scandal and ensure the voices of victims remain at the heart of efforts to deliver justice.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

The story of the Windrush generations is woven into the fabric of our nation and this government is absolutely determined to right the wrongs they suffered at the hands of the Home Office.

This is why I am delighted to welcome Reverend Clive Foster as our new Windrush Commissioner. His deep understanding through his own connections and dedicated community work makes him the perfect champion for those affected by this historic injustice.

I look forward to working closely with Reverend Foster as we continue our vital work to rebuild trust and deliver the justice that the Windrush generations so rightfully deserve.

Reverend Foster is a senior pastor at the Pilgrim Church in Nottingham and brings valuable experience in community leadership and social justice work.

With personal connections to the Windrush generations through his parents who migrated to the UK from Jamaica in 1959, Reverend Foster brings both lived experience and professional expertise to the role. He is the founder of the Nottingham Windrush Support Forum and serves as vice chair of the Windrush National Organisation where he volunteers.

 Windrush Commissioner Reverend Clive Foster MBE said:

I’m honoured to take on the role of Windrush Commissioner. I’m committed to ensuring justice is delivered for the Windrush generations – people who have given so much to this country and deserve better than the treatment they have received.

The injustices they faced must never be repeated, and that requires more than words; it requires cultural change, accountability, and action. My aim is to deliver change that the Windrush generations can see and feel in their everyday lives, particularly in how the Windrush status and compensation schemes operate.

I will carry out this role independently, without fear or favour, while creating a constructive relationship with government where challenge is welcomed and scrutiny leads to specific, transparent improvements.

Reverend Foster believes the Windrush generations should not be defined by a scandal, but by their extraordinary contribution to the UK and should now be celebrated.

Since coming to power, the government has strengthened support for the Windrush generations through a £1.5 million fund to help affected individuals access compensation and re-establishing the Windrush Unit to drive forward the action needed to prevent a similar scandal from ever happening again.