UK Home Secretary Priti Patel launches working group to tackle migrant issues

The United Kingdom's Indian-origin Home Secretary Priti Patel launched a new cross-government review panel to address issues faced by the country's immigrant communities to mark the National Windrush Day, observed in honour of migrants brought to Britain to address labour shortages in the wake of World War II.

Patel, who has previously formerly apologised for the scandal in Parliament, has now set up a new Windrush Cross-Government Working Group to address the challenges faced by the Windrush generation and their descendants.
Patel, who has previously formerly apologised for the scandal in Parliament, has now set up a new Windrush Cross-Government Working Group to address the challenges faced by the Windrush generation and their descendants.Photo courtesy: Twitter/@pritipatel

The UK government had set up an annual commemorative day and a compensation scheme in the wake of a scandal that emerged in April 2018 over thousands belonging to the so-called Windrush generation being wrongly told they were in Britain illegally.

"This group is crucial to delivering on our promise to right the wrongs experienced by the Windrush generation and it is right that we advance these issues in a constructive, sensitive and responsible way," said the Indian-origin Cabinet minister.

"We know that the best way to make sure we reach all those affected is by listening to them and hearing their voices, including how best to address the wider challenges that disproportionately affect those from BAME [black, Asian and minority ethnic] backgrounds," said Patel.

Patel, who has previously formerly apologised for the scandal in Parliament, has now set up a new Windrush Cross-Government Working Group to address the challenges faced by the Windrush generation and their descendants.

Patel, who last week visited the scene of the terror attack in Reading where three people were killed by a knife-wielding assailant, in a speech in Parliament yesterday stated that it was "clear the threat by lone actors is growing".

She also chaired a joint meeting of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance comprising representatives from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

"We agreed to work with our closest allies to tackle threats from hostile actors, stop spread of disinformation, tackle online child abuse & encourage social media companies to engage on end-to-end encryption," she tweeted.