Windrush, Racism, and Freedom

Abstract Omar Khan was one of the campaigners who brought the Windrush scandal to the nation’s attention. This interview considers what lessons it might have for how racism and discrimination are viewed in the United Kingdom and what this might indicate about the value of freedom. The interview starts with an overview of Windrush, the history that led to that point, and how it was allowed to happen. Khan argues that the episode shows clearly that discrimination is not simply a matter of a few bad actors, but a systemic problem rooted in our history. Such discrimination is not merely unfair, or unjust, it is also a threat to our freedom: it constrains the choices people are able to make, how they are able to live their lives. The chapter ends with a consideration of how we might address racism, and what a truly free society would look like.