Lewisham Council will call for an independent enquiry into the Windrush scandal.

Lewisham East MP and Whitefoot ward councillor Janet Daby put it forward as a motion at a full council meeting.

This comes after revelations those who arrived or were born in the UK in the late 1940s and until the 1970s from predominantly Caribbean countries part of the Commonwealth were denied legal rights, detained and deported by the Home Office.

Known as the Windrush generation, their treatment by the Home Office is a British “political scandal,” according to Lewisham Council documents.

“Many of the Windrush Generation were denied their British citizenship and legal rights, wrongly detained, and threatened with deportation.

“There are many who were wrongly deported from the UK, or denied the right to return from vacation or family bereavements by the Home Office.

“To date, the Home office has failed to provide the exact number of people whom this has affected,” the documents explain.

This led to “devastating” ramifications, with 13,000 people calling the Home Office for advice, 850 of which have had their British citizenship affirmed through documentation. Yet the total number effected is still unknown.

“They have lost their jobs, homes, pensions, and financial security. They have been denied benefits and medical care to which they were and are fully entitled to,” the documents continued.

“The denial of medical care has led to deaths. Many of those arrived on these shores as invited British subjects have lost their dignity, been marginalised, felt ashamed and embarrassed, and have had the lives ripped apart.

“Many of those affected through the Windrush Scandal have been older vulnerable people, as well as their dependants.

“Furthermore, an unknown number of long-term UK residents were wrongly refused re-entry to the UK, and a larger number were threatened with immediate deportation by the Home Office.”

The motion also called for the council to campaign for an end to all ‘hostile environment’ policy measures  and “calls upon the Mayor of Lewisham alongside the three Lewisham MPs to demand that the Government enables the Windrush Generation to acquire British citizenship at no cost, and with proactive assistance throughout the process, which is not time limited.”