Dr Michael Ipgrave, the Bishop of Lichfield

The Bishop of Lichfield has called on local residents to sign a petition demanding an immigration amnesty for members of the Windrush Generation.

Dr Michael Ipgrave, the Bishop of Lichfield
Dr Michael Ipgrave, the Bishop of Lichfield

The group is made up of settlers from Caribbean Commonwealth nations who were invited to live and work in the UK following World War Two to help address labour shortages.

But an anomaly in the law means that many children who arrived were never formally naturalised and have subsequently faced immigration problems, despite living in the UK for the whole of their adult life.

The Bishop of Lichfield, the Right Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave, is among those who have signed a petition calling for an amnesty for those who arrived as minors under Windrush before 1971.

“As preparations are made to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Windrush, it saddens me greatly that people who have lived here their whole adult lives now face uncertainty and fear,” he said.

“These are individuals in their 50s and 60s who have contributed to society and may have never known a home outside of the UK.

“I am urging people across the Midlands and beyond to join me in signing this petition to right this wrong.”

At the time of writing, more than 80,000 people have already added their names to the online petition.

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.

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Steve
5 years ago

I have signed the petition.

The way these people have been treated is awful. They have done so much for the country and then to be treated in this way, stinks.

Ken
5 years ago

Why an amnesty? These people have done nothing wrong. To use the word amnesty implies they need pardoning for some crime or misdemeanor and only serves to further stigmatise an already marginalised section of society. They arrived in the UK perfectly legally. The only crime here is the shameful way they have been treated by the government.

The bishop should really be urging us to write to our MP calling for action, or maybe he could have a word himself? Or would that be rocking the boat a little too much?