Home Office was branded ‘institutionally racist’ in report into Windrush deportation policy

A report which concluded that the Home Office was ‘institutionally racist’ over its ‘hostile environment’ immigration policy has been watered down, it was revealed last night.

The review into the Government’s policy towards migrants has seen the claim edited out of the final draft.

It was commissioned in 2018 after Caribbean migrants were detained or deported despite having the right to remain in Britain.

The report was expected to be published at the end of March last year but has been subject to delay.

Sources told The Times that the phrase ‘institutionally racist’ was included in an early draft of the report but no longer appears in more recent versions.

It comes as the Home Secretary Priti Patel, tried to move her most senior civil servant in the Home Office, permanent secretary Sir Philip Rutman, following ‘genuine disagreements’ between the pair, it emerged yesterday

Previous leaked versions found that the department was ‘reckless’ and had a ‘defensive culture’ over immigration policy, according to the paper.

Last week, leaks from an early version of the report emerged during a row over the deportation of criminals to Jamaica.

It said that the Government should consider ending the removal of ‘foreign-born offenders’ who had come to Britain as children.

The Windrush Review is being led by Wendy Williams, the inspector of constabulary. Government sources said that it was right that she be given time to complete her work.

It comes after it emerged Home Secretary Priti Patel, tried to move her most senior civil servant in the Home Office, permanent secretary Sir Philip Rutman, following ‘genuine disagreements’ between the pair.

But sources denied claims that she had ‘bullied and belittled’ officials, or that she had made unreasonable demands or created an ‘atmosphere of fear’. 

And the Home Office said ‘no formal complaints’ had been made.

The report has been seen by some officials, but sources stressed that it has not yet been seen by ministers.

It was revealed that there are concerns in Whitehall that the members of the panel which helped to write the review could publicly criticise the Government if the report is changed significantly.

It is currently going through the process of ‘Maxwellisation’ – the principle under which a report is shown to ministers and officials it is critical of and they are given the chance to respond.

Labour MP David Lammy, who has campaigned on the Windrush scandal, said it had resulted in the ‘systematic deportation and detention of black citizens by the Home Office’.

Labour MP David Lammy, who has campaigned on the Windrush scandal, said it had resulted in the ‘systematic deportation and detention of black citizens by the Home Office’

He added: ‘The victim’s nationality and rights were denied because of the colour of their skin. If that is not institutionally racist, I have no idea what is.

‘It would be an outrage and insult to the Windrush generation for Wendy Williams’s independent review to be watered down for political reasons.

‘The truth must be published in full.’ The fallout from the Windrush scandal led to the resignation of Home Secretary Amber Rudd.

The Government came under intense criticism over the ‘hostile environment’ policy championed by then Prime Minister Theresa May.

The term ‘institutional racism’ was famously used in February 1999 to describe Scotland Yard and its response to the murder of the black teenager Stephen Lawrence.

The official review, by Sir William Macpherson, defined the term as ‘discriminating through unwitting prejudice, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping’.

A Home Office spokesman said: ‘This is an independent review being led by Wendy Williams.

‘She has not yet submitted the final report to the Home Office.

‘Once we have received it, we will publish it as soon as paracticable. Ministers have not seen any version of the report.’