Descendants of Bedford’s Windrush generation and a Borough councillor have spoken about how the BBC television drama Sitting In Limbo ‘brought home the pain and fear’ caused by the Government’s betrayal.
The drama – broadcast to critical acclaim on BBC1 this week – told the true story of Anthony Bryan, who had lived and worked in Britain for over 50 years when he was wrongly detained and very nearly deported in 2017.
Pauline Stepney of Bedford’s Legacy of Windrush Descendants (LOWD) told the Bedford Independent, “I cried as I watched. I could feel myself boiling with anger.”
Pauline’s father came to the UK from Jamaica in 1954, followed by her mother in 1959. Her father set up the Bedford West Indian cricket team, to, “Show people they didn’t need to be scared of them, just their bowling.
“Setting up the team was a catalyst to getting to know people and we struck up many friendships with white families as a result.”
Borough Liberal Democrat Councillor Patrick Solomon said that the BBC drama ‘brought home the pain and fear’ caused by the Windrush scandal.
Cllr Solomon (Kingsbrook Ward) won unanimous support at a Bedford Borough Council meeting in February for a motion pledging solidarity and support for local residents of the Windrush generation in the wake of the Windrush scandal.
Cllr Solomon said, “My own parents were members of the Windrush generation, and this drama brought home the pain and fear caused to those targeted by the government.
“The shocking case of Anthony Bryan is only one of many which saw people who had lived here legally for decades detained and terrorised by the government.
“As we continue to stand up in solidarity with those protesting against appalling racism in the United States, it’s a stark reminder that here in this country the Black Lives Matter message is every bit as relevant.
“The government continues to operate a hostile environment for people not born in this country, and meanwhile it has paid just a tiny fraction of the compensation it promised to those who were wrongly targeted. We need to continue to speak up for those who were so sorely betrayed.”
Said Pauline, “My friend’s cousin lost his job and lost his home as part of the scandal. We came here because they took us from Africa.”
After the Windrush scandal was exposed, the Conservative Government apologised in 2018 and established a compensation pot intended to pay out £500m.
Today, two years on, just £360,000 has been paid to victims.
Sitting In Limbo is available to watch on BBCiPlayer.
