Ombudsman Rob Behrens has commented today on the news the Government will drop three of the recommendations from Wendy Williams' lessons-learned review into the Windrush scandal.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman has confirmed the Government will now no longer be running reconciliation events or introducing a Migrants' Commissioner. Nor will they be reviewing the remit and role of the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration.
The Ombudsman said:
“The Windrush scandal tarnished the country’s reputation for fair and equal treatment and led to a significant loss of trust among a generation of UK citizens. But it appears that lessons have not been learned.
"The Government accepted the reform recommendations in the Williams Report, expressed apologies and pledged to learn from its mistakes. It is therefore extremely disappointing that the Government is now rowing back on its commitments and is not following through with recommendations that would have seen greater transparency in, and scrutiny of, the Home Office.
“This move will be a serious blow to all who suffered from the Government’s mistakes and who were wrongfully pursued and threatened by Immigration Enforcement. It will further damage any trust that remained between the Windrush community and Government and diminish wider confidence in the system.”