MPs debate contribution of Windrush generationpublished at 14:58 British Summer Time 14 June 2018
Empire Windrush anniversary
House of Commons
Parliament
Labour's Helen Hayes is opening today's debate marking the 70s anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush at Tilbury docks, bringing workers from Jamaica to post-war Britain.
The motion notes the "critical role" passengers on the Windrush, and those who followed them from the Caribbean, played in the post-war reconstruction of Britain and celebrates their "significant social, political and cultural contribution".
The "Windrush generation" have been in the news in recent months after a scandal involving people who moved to the UK in the 50s and 60s who faced potential deportation because of a lack of proof of their right to live in the UK.
Members of the Windrush generation who moved to the UK in the 50s and 60s did so as British passport holders with the right to live in the UK, but following the passage of the 1971 Immigration Act Commonwealth citizens lost this right and records were not kept of who had arrived in Britain before that date.