MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Home Secretary to appoint a Windrush Commissioner

Windrush communities will be given an independent voice within government as an advertisement inviting applications to become the Windrush Commissioner has been launched today (13 February). This will ensure the lessons of the Home Office Windrush scandal are driven forward, and that justice is finally delivered for victims.

Having set out a fundamental reset of the government’s response to the scandal, the Home Secretary is committed to working more closely with communities affected by previous scandals as part of the plan for change.

Delivering on the government’s manifesto promise, she intends to appoint the first ever Windrush Commissioner by the summer, following a rigorous recruitment process to select a candidate capable of driving forward change and holding government to account on its Windrush commitments.

The commissioner will be an independent advocate for all those affected by the scandal, which saw thousands suffer through no fault of their own because of their inability to prove their right to live in the UK. The commissioner will engage with victims, communities and stakeholder organisations, and provide advice directly to ministers, to lead the change the Home Secretary is committed to delivering.

The successful candidate will advise on the Home Office’s delivery of the compensation and status schemes and the implementation of the department’s response to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, as well as acting as a trusted voice for families and communities, driving improvements and promoting lasting change.

Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra MP said:

The appointment of a Windrush Commissioner 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.

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.

Jeremy Crook OBE, Chief Executive of Action for Race Equality, stated:

We want the Windrush Commissioner to have the power and resources to engage with Windrush victims and community advocacy organisations, hold the government to account and drive positive change. Action for Race Equality looks forward to working with the new Windrush Commissioner.

Upon appointment, the commissioner will work alongside the Windrush Unit, which was re-established by the Home Secretary, to oversee the department’s response to the scandal and embed permanent cultural change.

This comes after the Home Secretary set out, in October, the first steps the government is taking to fundamentally reset how the government plans to right the wrongs of the Home Office Windrush scandal.

As well as re-establishing the Windrush Unit, she committed to better supporting victims to apply for compensation with £1.5 million in grant funding to increase advocacy support.

This government is determined to hear first-hand from the Windrush generation, their families and wider Commonwealth communities to ensure that their experiences are listened to and learned from.