Immigration reforms while Theresa May was home secretary ‘absolutely nothing’ to do with Windrush scandal, says government whip

'It really is the height of opportunism and hypocrisy for the opposition to take some moral high ground,” says Conservative MP Mike Freer

Issues facing the Windrush generation have “absolutely nothing” to do with the immigration reforms introduced while Theresa May was home secretary, according to a leaked email sent by a government whip.

In correspondence with a constituent, seen by The Independent, Mike Freer, who is an assistant whip at the Treasury, also accused Labour of “opportunism” and “hypocrisy” over the current Windrush scandal.

It comes as the Prime Minister and Amber Rudd, the home secretary, face escalating pressure over the government’s handling of problems faced by members of the Windrush generation, who settled in the UK as British citizens in the mid-twentieth century.

On Sunday, Ms Rudd faced repeated calls from both Labour and the SNP to stand down from her position after stories flooded in from individuals from the Windrush era who have been declared illegal immigrants, threatened with deportation, denied access to NHS treatment and stripped of their jobs due to a lack of documentation.

Many have sought to place blame for the problems experienced by these individuals on the “hostile immigration” policy enacted by the Home Office while Theresa May was in charge of the department. They made it considerably harder for individuals to work, rent and open bank accounts without the right documentation.

The resulting political storm created by the revelations has led to both Ms May and the home secretary personally apologising for the treatment of Windrush citizens but Mr Freer’s leaked email strikes a remarkably less conciliatory tone.

The remarks from Mr Freer – also the MP for Finchley and Golders Green – came after a constituent emailed him querying whether he would sign Early Day Motion (EDM) 1182 in the Commons which calls for an independent review of the Home Office immigration policy and practice.

“I have been appalled and ashamed to hear of the impact of hostile environment policy introduced by Theresa May, the effects of which are now coming to light with the Windrush scandal,” the constituent wrote.

“Apart from the terrible injustice to the many individuals concerned, ranging from losing their jobs, their homes, their right to health care, fearing deportation and being subjected to incredible levels of stress, what image of Britain are we projecting here?

“What must the EU27 nations make of this conduct? How can Britain present itself as an honourable and trustworthy negotiating partner when it treats its own citizens and people who have made honest mistake in such a dreadful fashion. It is truly shameful.

“The buck stops with Mrs May,” they added.

But in his reply – sent on Saturday morning – Mr Freer said: “I am sorry to hear that you have been misinformed. It is so sad to see that opposition parties would seek to deliberately misquote and misinterpret what Theresa May said.

“The Windrush issue is absolutely nothing to do with immigration reforms introduced under the [David] Cameron government. Then the policy was to make it harder for ILLEGAL immigrants to settle in the UK. The Windrush people were and are legal. Wholly separate and unconnected.”

He then repeated the Prime Minister’s claim in the Commons last week that the decision to destroy the landing cards of the Windrush generation was taken by the previous Labour government.

“So it really is the height of opportunism and hypocrisy for the opposition to take some moral high ground,” he said.

Referring to the EDM, which he is forbidden to sign due to his position as a government whip, he added: “ I have never signed EDM’s as they are utterly pointless, wholly ignored in Parliament but costs over £1m to maintain.”

When asked for comment by The Independent regarding the exchange, Mr Freer said: “As the Prime Minister and Home Secretary have said, the situation that some members of the Windrush generation have found themselves in is unacceptable, and that's why it's right that the government has apologised and is offering help to those affected.

“”The point I was making in constituency correspondence was that some have deliberately sought to conflate this with measures to counter illegal immigration, which we know is a matter of public concern - and that the decision to destroy landing card documents was taken for the first time in 2009.”