Windrush Scheme Debate

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Department: Home Office

Windrush Scheme

Rushanara Ali Excerpts
Tuesday 5th February 2019

(5 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Sajid Javid Portrait Sajid Javid
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I very much agree with my right hon. Friend about the tone of the debate on immigration—on anyone who has settled in our great country, regardless of where they came from, why they came here and how long they have been here—and with her point about our taking more opportunity, across the House, to highlight the benefits of immigration, whether from the Commonwealth or elsewhere, and how those people have helped to make this country great.

Rushanara Ali Portrait Rushanara Ali (Bethnal Green and Bow) (Lab)
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The Macpherson definition of institutional racism is:

“The collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behaviour which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racial stereotyping.”

There is no doubt that that—and much worse—has been the experience of the Windrush generation. Is not it time that the Home Secretary learned lessons and took action to prevent further institutional racism from continuing against the Windrush generation and others?

Sajid Javid Portrait Sajid Javid
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The hon. Lady chose not to listen to the point that my right hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Anna Soubry) made about the tone of the debate. If she is trying to suggest that there is institutional racism, she must accept that that was what existed under the previous Labour Government.