May insists public supported tough action on immigration

Theresa May has defended the Government’s response to the Windrush generation row and insisted that the public supported tough action on immigration.

The Prime Minister, who has been blamed for the so-called “hostile environment” policy which contributed to the scandal, said action was being taken to make sure no-one was “mistakenly” affected.

But she said: “If you talk to members of the public, what they want to know is to ensure that we are dealing with people who come to the UK illegally.”

Asked if she was planning any changes as a result of the Windrush row, Mrs May said: “I think what we need to do is to ensure that we are able to deal with those people who are in the UK illegally, but ensuring that people who are in the UK legally do not find themselves, as the Windrush generation did, mistakenly caught up in that.

“That’s why the Home Office is looking to work with those who are of the Windrush generation to make sure they do have, where they need it – many of them do have the documentation already – but they don’t get that documentation easily – that’s why we have ensured that offer of British citizenship is open to them.

Pressed again on whether changes were necessary, she said: “We need to ensure that we keep measures in place that enable us to deal with those people who come to the UK illegally.

“What we do need to ensure is that, as we are applying those measures, we don’t see people inadvertently caught up in that who are British and have the legal right to be in the UK.”