This week Ealing Labour cabinet member for inclusion, councillor Joanna Camadoo-Rothwell, proposed and passed a motion at a full council meeting condemning the hostile environment policy. The motion also called for a long overdue apology from the government to the Black Asian and Minority Ethnic communities who have suffered because of it, particularly Black members of the Windrush generation.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has found that the Home Office ignored equality law in their treatment of the Windrush generation under the hostile environment.

This long running policy has devastated families and communities, and made Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people feel unwelcome in our country. We all remember the disgraceful Go Home vans being driven around Ealing Southall.

The Ealing Tories yet again demonstrated that they will stand up for their Tory mates in Westminster, but not for Ealing’s diverse communities. After we stopped them from removing all mention of the hostile environment from our motion, they declined to vote at all.

We are proud that Ealing is one of the most diverse communities in the country and that our borough has been enriched by immigration from all over the world. Ealing Labour will continue to campaign against the hostile environment policy and stand up for all of our communities.