A reminder of why we’re here, and why resisting the #NationalityAndBordersBill is urgent and pressing - now with added threat of nuclear attack, jic anyone was getting bored. 👇🏽
Borders, how we view them, and our sense of self-importance have coagulated into a poison.
I've posted a lot of football content, which isn't exactly Windrush related, for an additional reason. Southgate is one of a vanishingly small number of public personalities, who, at the height of insane BLM backlash and attacks on Black players, stood by them. Didn't tell them
to stop posting or keep their opinions to themselves because football is just football - "it’s their duty to continue to interact with the public on matters such as equality, inclusivity and racial injustice, while using the power of their voices to help put debates on the table
"..., raise awareness and educate."
This seems so basic. Hardly any White media personality with a real, serious platform has said it.
We are devastated to confirm that Anthony Williams, a founding member of Windrush Lives, has passed away. Anthony was a committed member of this group to the end, and drew on his horrific experience to help others in the same position as him. (1/3)
We will say more in due course, but for now, we are running an appeal to help his immediate next of kin with the costs of making final arrangements. The fundraiser page will be updated later today with more details on how the funds will be distributed and used, (2/3)
and what will happen with any excess unspent donations. (*only*) if you are able, we would appreciate your support - Anthony deserved more than this country gave him, and we think this is the least we can do for him. (3/3) gofund.me/844d2383
🧵: The Post Office scandal is a stain on govt - hundreds of workers prosecuted and convicted on the basis of garbage evidence, lives upended, a number of victims now dead without having seen justice or compensation in their lifetimes. [1/] ft.com/content/cb659c…
Some of those victims went to jail; many were made bankrupt. Serious, life-altering consequences. When these facts were laid bare c.2015, the Post Office's then leadership first denied the problem. When it finally caught up, govt - substantially the same as the current one - [2/]
unveiled a compensation scheme, which has achieved precious nothing, and that at glacial pace.
Clearly this fact pattern rings no bells to anyone sitting in @10DowningStreet or @ukhomeoffice (b/c we, inexplicably, let them run the country), so let me assist. [3/]
The main revelation - that WW wasn’t contacted or consulted before the recommendations were dropped - is unsurprising. It is of a piece with the Home Office’s attitude towards the people who are affected by it’s policy making. [1/]
This isn't necessarily news to anyone, but it is a crystallisation of a position that's been brewing for a while. The minister - Lord Murray of Blidworth -was evasive and rude to members of the Select Committee, especially @DianaJohnsonMP. [3/]
Also scheduled to give evidence is David Neal, the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration @IndependentCI. For the @ukhomeoffice, Lord Murray of Blidworth (no, me neither) and Alex Hurst, Director of Transformation. 2/
@IndependentCI@ukhomeoffice The chair @DianaJohnsonMP is speaking now. In particular, she wants to examine the HO's decision to drop 3 recommendations. And it's on to Tim Loughton. Lord save us all.
The Home Affairs Select Cttee is holding a hearing with Wendy Williams and other sector experts tmrw on @SuellaBraverman's decision to drop the parts of the Windrush Lessons Learned Review that were taking too much time away from her "WWII- What Happened Next" reenactment club.
Apologies, I'll try that again: tmrw, @CommonsHomeAffs will be hearing from Wendy Williams, @JacquiMckenzie6, @cboswelljones of JCWI, @IndependentCI's David Neal, and whichever HO suits could be spared from frontline duty on Project 'Let them drown so the Daily Mail will like us'
Ok, I'll get it right this time: tomorrow, starting at 09:45, the Home Affairs Select Committee will be taking evidence from Windrush experts, including the author of the Windrush Lessons Learned Review. committees.parliament.uk/event/17626/fo…