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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/membership/2018/apr/30/how-the-windrush-scandal-showed-the-guardian-holding-power-to-account-katharine-viner
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| The Windrush scandal shows why we must hold power to account | The Windrush scandal shows why we must hold power to account |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| The resignation of the British home secretary, Amber Rudd, over the Windrush scandal marks an important moment for independent, investigative journalism, demonstrating how it can hold power to account in order unequivocally to change people’s lives for the better. | The resignation of the British home secretary, Amber Rudd, over the Windrush scandal marks an important moment for independent, investigative journalism, demonstrating how it can hold power to account in order unequivocally to change people’s lives for the better. |
| The Guardian reporter Amelia Gentleman has spent the past six months exposing the truth of the suffering of the Windrush generation, who arrived in the UK after the second world war from Caribbean countries at the invitation of the British government. Through her reporting, she has revealed case after case of cruelty to citizens who have lived and worked in the UK for decades, yet faced homelessness, destitution and detention, lost their jobs or been denied NHS treatment because they were unable to prove they were British – stemming from a policy, set out by the prime minister, Theresa May, when she was home secretary, to make the UK “a really hostile environment for illegal immigrants”. | The Guardian reporter Amelia Gentleman has spent the past six months exposing the truth of the suffering of the Windrush generation, who arrived in the UK after the second world war from Caribbean countries at the invitation of the British government. Through her reporting, she has revealed case after case of cruelty to citizens who have lived and worked in the UK for decades, yet faced homelessness, destitution and detention, lost their jobs or been denied NHS treatment because they were unable to prove they were British – stemming from a policy, set out by the prime minister, Theresa May, when she was home secretary, to make the UK “a really hostile environment for illegal immigrants”. |
| Amelia went on to exclusively report that the Home Office destroyed thousands of landing cards recording Windrush immigrants’ arrival dates in the UK, despite staff warnings, and that Downing Street rejected a diplomatic request to discuss the issue at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting. Nick Hopkins, our head of investigations, followed this by exposing how Rudd misled parliament, publishing leaks shared with him by people who trust the Guardian to expose the truth. | Amelia went on to exclusively report that the Home Office destroyed thousands of landing cards recording Windrush immigrants’ arrival dates in the UK, despite staff warnings, and that Downing Street rejected a diplomatic request to discuss the issue at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting. Nick Hopkins, our head of investigations, followed this by exposing how Rudd misled parliament, publishing leaks shared with him by people who trust the Guardian to expose the truth. |
| The Guardian’s Windrush revelations have had such a big impact because they work on two powerful levels: the heart – where our reporting exposed so many deeply upsetting stories of people’s lives utterly ruined by the government’s immigration policies – and the head, where our political exposés finally forced accountability on the home secretary. | The Guardian’s Windrush revelations have had such a big impact because they work on two powerful levels: the heart – where our reporting exposed so many deeply upsetting stories of people’s lives utterly ruined by the government’s immigration policies – and the head, where our political exposés finally forced accountability on the home secretary. |
| Thank you to our readers, who worked with us to have this impact – by reading our stories, sharing them with your friends and family, getting in touch with us to share your views, expertise and experiences, offering and acting to help the Windrush generation, and by supporting our journalism financially. You’ve helped to ensure that even greater numbers of people hear about these stories, which has driven public debate and scrutiny up to the highest levels of government. We could not have done this without you. | Thank you to our readers, who worked with us to have this impact – by reading our stories, sharing them with your friends and family, getting in touch with us to share your views, expertise and experiences, offering and acting to help the Windrush generation, and by supporting our journalism financially. You’ve helped to ensure that even greater numbers of people hear about these stories, which has driven public debate and scrutiny up to the highest levels of government. We could not have done this without you. |
| As Guy Hewitt, the high commissioner for Barbados, wrote in a letter to the Guardian: “In less than a week, a story that was for too long begging for attention became front page news and in the process won the hearts of a nation and engaged the mind of a government.” | As Guy Hewitt, the high commissioner for Barbados, wrote in a letter to the Guardian: “In less than a week, a story that was for too long begging for attention became front page news and in the process won the hearts of a nation and engaged the mind of a government.” |
| I’ve a feeling this isn’t going to be the end of the story – and we will remain committed to it every step of the way. | I’ve a feeling this isn’t going to be the end of the story – and we will remain committed to it every step of the way. |
| The Guardian has been reporting on the Windrush scandal for the past six months. You can support our independent, investigative journalism by making a financial contribution here. | The Guardian has been reporting on the Windrush scandal for the past six months. You can support our independent, investigative journalism by making a financial contribution here. |
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