Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Indians third largest group affected by Windrush scandal

Indians have emerged as the third-largest group affected by the Windrush immigration scandal involving Commonwealth nationals being wrongly denied their citizenship rights in Britain.

The Windrush immigration scandal concerns people who were wrongly detained, denied legal rights, threatened with deportation and in many cases wrongly deported from the UK by the authorities.


"The Windrush generation refers to citizens of former British colonies who arrived before 1973, when the rights of such Commonwealth citizens to live and work in Britain were substantially curtailed," according to Rob McNeil, deputy director of the Migration Observatory.

"While a large proportion of them were of Jamaican or Caribbean descent, they also included Indians and other South Asians," McNeil said.

As many as 102 Indians were provided documentation to formalise their rights to live and work in the UK by an emergency Taskforce set up to deal with cases of Commonwealth nationals who arrived in the UK before immigration rules became more stringent in 1973, according to the latest figures released by home secretary Sajid Javid to the Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC) yesterday.

While the majority of the 2,272 migrants' cases dealt with by the Taskforce came from Caribbean countries Jamaica (1,093) and Barbados (213), India at 102 came in third followed by Grenada (88) and Trinidad and Tobago (86), with 690 cases classed as Others.

Of the 102, a total of 69 Indians were granted their documentation under the Windrush Scheme, which ensures that members of this generation, their children born in the UK and those who arrived in the UK as minors are able to apply for citizenship free of charge.

"The experiences faced by some members of the Windrush generation are completely unacceptable and I am committed to righting the wrongs of the past," said Javid, who was born to Pakistani-origin parents in the UK.

He also committed to making a formal apology to 18 members of the Windrush generation from the Caribbean, who it is believed could have been wrongfully removed or detained.

He said: "I would like to personally apologise to those identified in our review and am committed to providing them with the support and compensation they deserve.

"We must do everything we can to ensure that nothing like this happens again – which is why I have asked an independent adviser to look at what lessons we can learn from Windrush".

The home office said that its evidence suggests the 18 people came to the UK from the Caribbean before 1973 and stayed here permanently but were unable to demonstrate their continuous residence here and were either detained or removed.

The group referred to as the Windrush generation, relates to a ship named Windrush, which brought Jamaican workers to UK shores in 1948.

The scandal emerged as many who arrived as children around that period were struggling to access state services or even threatened with deportation because they did not possess any documents to prove they arrived in Britain before 1973.

In his letter dated August 21 to HASC Chair, Labour MP Yvette Cooper, Javid highlights that the Windrush cases expose problems which have happened over many years, under multiple governments and calls for a "cross party-approach" to ensure the wrongs which some members of the Windrush generation have faced are put right.

More For You

migrant crossings

The man is suspected of using online platforms to advertise illegal boat crossings

AFP via Getty Images

Asian man held in Birmingham for advertising migrant crossings online

AN ASIAN man has been arrested in Birmingham as part of an investigation into the use of social media to promote people smuggling, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) said on Monday (15).

The 38-year-old British Pakistani man was detained during an NCA operation in the Yardley area. He is suspected of using online platforms to advertise illegal boat crossings between North Africa and Europe.

Keep ReadingShow less
King Charles & Modi

King Charles III (L) poses with India's prime minister Narendra Modi (R) during an audience at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk on July 24, 2025.

AARON CHOWN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

King Charles marks Modi’s 75th birthday with Kadamb tree gift

KING CHARLES III has sent a Kadamb tree as a gift to Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on his 75th birthday on Wednesday (17).

The British High Commission in New Delhi announced the gesture in a social media post, noting that it was inspired by Modi’s “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” (One tree in the name of mother) environmental initiative. The sapling, it said, symbolises the shared commitment of the two leaders to environmental protection.

Keep ReadingShow less
Trump hails 'unbreakable' US-UK bond in Windsor Castle speech

US resident Donald Trump and King Charles interact at the state banquet for the US president and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of their second state visit to the UK, Wednesday September 17, 2025. Yui Mok/Pool via REUTERS

Trump hails 'unbreakable' US-UK bond in Windsor Castle speech

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump on Wednesday (17) hailed the special relationship between his country and Britain as he paid a gushing tribute to King Charles during his historic second state visit, calling it one of the highest honours of his life.

It was a day of unprecedented pomp for a foreign leader. Trump and his wife Melania were treated to the full array of British pageantry. Then, the president sang the praises of his nation's close ally.

Keep ReadingShow less
Police officers

Police officers stand guard between an anti fascist group and Tommy Robinson supporters during an anti-immigration rally organised by British anti-immigration activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, in London, Britain, September 13, 2025.

REUTERS/Jaimi Joy

UK defends France migrant returns deal after court blocks first removal

THE British government has defended its new migrant returns deal with France after a High Court ruling temporarily blocked the deportation of an Eritrean asylum seeker, marking an early legal setback to the scheme.

The 25-year-old man, who arrived in Britain on a small boat from France on August 12, was due to be placed on an Air France flight from Heathrow to Paris on Wednesday (17) morning. But on Tuesday (16), Judge Clive Sheldon granted an interim injunction, saying there was a “serious issue to be tried” over his claim to be a victim of trafficking.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asian surgeon sentenced to six years for sexual assault

Dr Amal Bose. (Photo: Lancashire Police)

Asian surgeon sentenced to six years for sexual assault

AN ASIAN senior heart surgeon, who abused his position to sexually assault female members of staff, has been jailed for six years.

Dr Amal Bose, from Lancaster, was convicted of 12 counts of sexual assault against five colleagues at Blackpool Victoria Hospital between 2017 and 2022. He was cleared of two other charges.

Keep ReadingShow less