Over recent months I have been supporting a number of my constituents who are part of the Windrush Generation. The Government’s treatment of commonwealth citizens who have lived in the UK for decades has been appalling and some of my constituents have faced difficulties keeping their jobs and their homes and haven’t been able to see family or friends who live abroad. Many of them have had to go through a terrible ordeal just to prove they have the right to live and work here.

One of my constituents, Mr Espedy Alvester Thomas, arrived in the UK from Jamaica in the early 1950s. Since then he has worked and raised a family in the UK, and held a British passport. However, when he tried to renew his passport, the application was rejected. Without a passport Mr Thomas has been unable to visit his family in Jamaica for over 20 years.

Mr Thomas came to my office for help and when it was taking much longer than it should to resolve his case,  I raised it with the Home Secretary who promised to look into it.

I am absolutely thrilled when Mr Thomas told me last week that he has finally received his certificate of naturalisation and can now apply to get his passport back and visit his family!  

However, I won’t stop until he finally gets compensation he deserves for what he has had to go through.