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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder if Labour will apologise for Windrush

86 replies

silverTIRFer · 19/04/2018 04:03

It seems like the Conservatives are doing all they can and have apologised for Windrush.

Now we know that it was a Labour government who decided to destroy the landing cards of those Commonwealth citizens, will JC apologise (as he said May should) or will he shut up and move on to more misguided posturing.

AIBU in thinking that populist grandstanding is not in the best interests of our country?

OP posts:
Rufustheconstantreindeer · 19/04/2018 10:20

i think a strong opposition is a key part of a balanced democracy.

Absolutely

Motheroffourdragons · 19/04/2018 10:25

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on behalf of the poster.

Believeitornot · 19/04/2018 10:25

@silverTIRFer

Your AIBU title was To wonder if Labour will apologise for Windrush

That set the tone for the thread.

So stop pretending you’re neutral and concerned about political grandstanding generally.

You’re only concerned about Labour political grandstanding.

Gottagetmoving · 19/04/2018 10:26

Now we know that it was a Labour government who decided to destroy the landing cards of those Commonwealth citizens

We don't all know this at all. Those of us who have intelligence and bother to check facts know Labour did no such thing.
Sadly, there are millions of people like you who believe any snippet of garbage fed to you and that's why we have a government who don't give a shit about people.

jasjas1973 · 19/04/2018 10:33

What is sad is Corbyn was completely wrong footed by Mays assertion "Labour made this decision" he should have been prepared for this and shot back that Labour planned to digitise them, YOU just destroyed them.
It is this lack of professionalism that is allowing TM to get away with murder.

silverTIRFer · 19/04/2018 10:34

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

frankchickens · 19/04/2018 10:40

AIBU in thinking that populist grandstanding is not in the best interests of our country?

Yanbu to make that statement - but you are being VVV U by contributing to exactly the thing you complain of.

jasjas1973 · 19/04/2018 10:42

Thats harsh! when i last looked it was the Tories who were freezing benefits, screwing over the disabled with PIP assessments, cutting our council services (whilst we pay far far more in CT) and paying nurses and doctors 1%.

JC is raising legitimate concerns that affect the Windrush generation, if he didnt, you d be the first to say he is ineffective/ignoring peoples suffering.
Labour have nothing to apologise for and its been explained to you why.

Mistigri · 19/04/2018 10:49

Destroying the landing cards was a terrible idea that was initiated under a Labour government (although not apparently by the Home Secretary). It sounds like one of those ideas that wasn't properly thought through, by people who may not have known how the records were being used.

The destruction took place several months after the coalition government took office, during which time it could easily have been stopped.

Up to this point Labour and the Tories equally to blame - the border force took a bad decision under a Labour government, and that decision was acted upon under a Tory-led government.

But critically, none of this would have mattered, except to historians, if it hadn't been for the "hostile environment" introduced by May.

frankchickens · 19/04/2018 10:53

Hmmm

To wonder if Labour will apologise for Windrush
SoapOnARoap · 19/04/2018 10:58

I think a strong opposition is healthy for democracy.

Unfortunately, we do not have one at the moment. Labour & the Lib Dems should be on the front foot in holding the government to account but, both of them are a shambles

NewYear2018 · 19/04/2018 11:02

Yet another thread started by a Tory shill.

frankchickens · 19/04/2018 11:21

Mistigri
Great summary.

jasjas1973 · 19/04/2018 11:40

Up to this point Labour and the Tories equally to blame - the border force took a bad decision under a Labour government, and that decision was acted upon under a Tory-led government

Not really as a second decision was then taken again in 2010 by the UKBA to destroy the cards, which was then acted upon.

Also, Gov was warned in 2014 about changes to immigration policy and its effects on esp older persons, they carried on with the changes.

Sidalee7 · 19/04/2018 11:55

OP, you make me laugh. Do you believe everything the Daily Mail write?

And calling JC a c**t - grow up.

MissionItsPossible · 19/04/2018 12:17

@jasjas1973
What is sad is Corbyn was completely wrong footed by Mays assertion "Labour made this decision" he should have been prepared for this and shot back that Labour planned to digitise them, YOU just destroyed them.

I saw highlights of PMQ when this happened. One thing I notice about Jeremy is that he doesn't go off script. So when things like that are thrown at him, he doesn't acknowledge them and just continues to shout on his original point. It makes him look like he doesn't have an argument and comes across as weak.

Then I saw Diane Abbott being interviewed by Jon Snow on Channel 4 news and despite now having facts, just kept bleating the same things and refusing to answer questions from Jon in a rather patronising way. He didn't seem impressed at all and at the end said "Thank you" and then sarcastically muttered "for coming in" Shock

The party is a shambles. They need to be a credible opposition to the government. Instead, it's like I said in my first reply, any response to anything is "But the Conservatives..."

Mistigri · 19/04/2018 12:25

Not really as a second decision was then taken again in 2010 by the UKBA to destroy the cards, which was then acted upon.

That was my point ... bad decision making under both governments, but it wouldn't have mattered (or would have mattered much less) without the hostile environment.

I should make it clear that I think the Tories take most of the blame here. These cases have been happening for at least 2 years, but they only start to care when the Daily Mail puts in on the front page.

Thymeout · 19/04/2018 12:57

Granny 24 I'm sure if Diane Abbott had warned against this particular consequence of the 2014 Immigration Bill she would have shouted it from the rooftops in her interview on Channel 4 News. She didn't. And when asked by Jon Snow why Labour hadn't done more than a single question at PMQs about the man denied cancer treatment, all she could say was that they had been working on it at constituency level.

I'm no Tory but I have to say that much of the criticism of Diane Abbott is justified. Whether through illness or ineptitude, she has hardly inspired confidence in Labour as a 'government in waiting'. Her summing up in the anti-semitism debate was a disgrace.

KT63 · 19/04/2018 13:09

It seems like the Conservatives are doing all they can and have apologised for Windrush

May apologised to Caribbean leaders, not to the men and women who have suffered years of worry, distress and fear over a decision May made as HS. She also hasn’t reversed that, has not stated nobody will be deported or indeed contacted those deported to invite them back. So no, they haven’t done everything they could. They haven’t even started, and in fact, had there not been a public outcry, I don’t think anything would have happened at all.

I don’t think political grandstanding is in the best interests of the country, no. The disgusting anti Semitic behaviour among prominent Labour MPs absolutely needs to be addressed and stopped. Immediately.

However I’m not naive enough to think that misogynistic, power hungry, elitist, disablist, racist, xenophobic politics is in the best interests of the country either. It’s not one or the other. Morals matter. Neither the Tories nor Labour appear to give a shit about anyone but themselves currently.

The Windrush generation have been appallingly failed, they must all be given permanent leave to remain/citizenship/assurances because not to do so would be morally reprehensible.

Believeitornot · 19/04/2018 13:44

@silverTIRFer you were called out for being a Tory troll and took offence. Then started copying only the bits of your OP which referred to political grandstanding.

When actually you just want to bash JC.

YAWNS.

That is what I take issue too. Making out like it’s all labour’s fault, that the Tories are really really trying so very hard Hmm

Ridiculous.

Hadalifeonce · 19/04/2018 13:55

I really hate the blame culture we find ourselves in!
This situation was an unintended consequence of the tighter immigration rules which we were demanding.
Why can someone not stand up and say 'It was a cock-up, doesn't matter who said what to whom; we will work our butts off to try to sort it out' there doesn't need to be an enquiry, it doesn't matter who was in power when & who signed the order. JUST SORT IT OUT

mostdays · 19/04/2018 13:56

Nice try, op Hmm

KT63 · 19/04/2018 13:56

I don’t believe for a second it was unintended. Nor do I think that immigration is anything like the problem that the right wing media would have us believe.

MrPan · 19/04/2018 13:59

I don't think it was unintended at all. It was a response to the 'atmosphere' generated by Cameron and May. Be nasty to immigrants and do all we can to get rid of anyone we don't like the look of. i.e. people who won't vote Tory. ie black people and E Europeans, as groups.

It was known that on passing the 2014 Act a lot of Windrush people would be put in impossible situations. That didn't matter.

MrPan · 19/04/2018 14:01

OP - you're just a thinly-disguised opportunist who's been found out.

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