AUGUST 2025 • ISSUE NO. 1969
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Let the celebrations begin! ›› p36
Notting Hill Carnival is back in full colour
‘I’LL SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER’
New Windrush Commissioner vows justice for victims failed by the Home Office REV CLIVE Foster (pictured left) tells The Voice in an exclusive interview, he’ll fearlessly speak truth to power to deliver justice for Windrush scandal victims—promising action, not symbolism, as he launches a national mission to hold the government to account. ›› p4
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‘TOXIC HAIR PRODUCTS? NEVER AGAIN!’
AFTER SURVIVING cancer, entrepreneur Jacqueline Shaw (above) launches the UK’s first plantbased braiding hair—offering a safer alternative to toxic extensions and a bold new vision for protecting Black women’s health. ›› p6
Inside THIS MONTH
The Voice says
ROUNDUP NEWSPAPER
News, views, stories & videos
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“Jen was the heart of our family”: relatives of mum killed in M25 crash slam the CPS
PAINFUL: Compensation for Windrush scandal victims has been slow and insultingly inadequate (photo: Getty Images)
28 Rev Clive Foster’s fight
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From grief to greatness: how King O’Holi became the movement behind the music
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Kent batsman Tawanda Muyeye has England in his sights
for Windrush justice needs our support
B
Y ANY measure, the road to justice for Windrush scandal victims has been long, painful and unjust. Compensation has been slow, inconsistent and, in many cases, insultingly inadequate. Victims have died waiting. Others have been retraumatised by a system run by the very department that caused the harm. Enter Reverend Clive Foster, the newly appointed Windrush Commissioner, who has pledged to speak truth to power “without fear or favour” and push for systemic change. In an exclusive interview with The Voice, he made clear this is no token role for him — he is determined to be a genuine force for justice and change. And the challenge could not be greater. The compensation scheme remains riddled with flaws: a lack of access to legal advice, complex application processes, delays, and inconsistent decisions. The Home Office assesses its own failures and handles appeals, something that is a clear conflict of interest. Victims are forced to navigate this hostile terrain alone,
This issue is 40 pages EDITOR Vic Motune E. vic.motune@thevoicemedia group.co.uk
CORPORATE AFFAIRS & COMMUNICATIONS Paula Dyke E. paula@thevoicemedia group.co.uk
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Paulette Simpson E. paulette.simpson@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Joel Campbell E. joel.campbell@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk
often without the support or cultural sensitivity they need. Foster’s vision is to change of all this. He has already raised key issues like pension losses, the need for legal aid, and the painfully slow pace of compensation. He’s not naïve about the size of the task. He knows that the community’s trust of the Home Office is at rock bottom. But he brings something no official can fake: grassroots credibility and lived understanding. “I’ve walked with the community,” he says. “This is unfinished injustice.” He has vowed to be visible, accountable and engaged, not hidden away in Whitehall. His listening tour has begun, and his call to action is clear: “We have to do something.” Clive Foster cannot succeed alone. The Black community must rally behind his efforts, not with blind optimism, but with cautious hope and firm resolve. If this new chapter is to mean anything, it will require pressure, persistence and people power. Justice is overdue. Rev Foster deserves our support to deliver it.
‘SPECIAL’: Denis Kaate
1
‘Denis was a truly special soul — Mandem On The Wall co-creators share sad news of the death of close friend
2 3 4 5 6
UK’s first Jamaican patty TV ad to air nationwide Diane Abbott suspended again by Labour over racism comments
Captain Ibrahim Traoré channels Africa’s great freedom fighters — that’s why the West is afraid Can Ibrahim Traoré help Africa to break away from the chains of neocolonialism?
Dion Farrell: ‘From the streets to the stage: Christian playwright inspires thousands with message of hope ‘7/7 took my mum. Twenty years later, the grief still echoes through my life’
7 8 9 10
British Museum says it can’t permanently return looted Benin Bronzes in its collection to Nigeria In Chicago, Pope Leo XIV’s Creole and African roots create a stir Brixton prepares to say goodbye to Windrush legend Clovis Salmon
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AUGUST 2025 THE VOICE | 3
News
‘I WANT MY RIGHTS BACK’ Windrush victim George Lee returns to the UK after 27 years in exile. By Sinai Fleary and Vic Motune
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EORGE LEE, a Windrush scandal victim who spent 27 years trapped in bureaucratic exile in Poland, has finally returned to the UK – marking the end of a decades-long ordeal that campaigners say exposes continued failings in the Home Office’s handling of the scandal. Lee, 72, arrived at Birmingham Airport last month, welcomed by Bishop Dr Desmond Jaddoo MBE, Director of the Windrush National Organisation who campaigned for his return with the words, “Welcome home.” Lee’s quiet but powerful reply was: “I’m back.” STATELESS Born in Clarendon, Jamaica, he came to the UK in 1961 at the age of eight to join his parents. He grew up in London, where he was educated, employed, married, and raised a family. Britain was home. But in 1997, after struggling to find work, he accepted a short-term English teaching contract in Poland. When he later tried to return, he was told by the British Embassy in Warsaw that he had no entitlement to re-enter the UK. Despite nearly four decades of lawful residence, he was denied re-entry and became effectively stateless. “Every day for the past 25 years, I woke up with uncertainty,” Lee said. “In Poland, I was classed as a citizen of nowhere. I felt like I had no value, as though my life didn’t matter.” He added: “As a child growing up in Jamaica, we looked up to Britain. I was excited when I came to the UK. I was educated here, worked, raised a family – and now, I feel utterly betrayed by Britain.” Lee’s prolonged exile came de-
spite a series of legislative changes following the Windrush scandal in 2018, which exposed how hundreds of legal UK residents, many from the Caribbean, were wrongfully detained, denied rights, or deported due to a lack of official documentation. In 2022, the Nationality and Borders Act granted the Home Secretary powers to waive residency requirements for people like him who have been excluded from the UK “through no fault of their own.” But instead of granting citizenship using those discretionary powers, the Home Office told Lee he must obtain a Jamaican passport and apply for a returning resident visa – despite being eligible for support under the Windrush Scheme and having lived in the UK for nearly 40 years. “The fact that Mr Lee was lost in the system for over two decades – and only now being allowed to return home – shows just how far we still have to go,” said Bishop Jaddoo, who led the campaign for his return. “This is not just a historic injustice. It’s a current, global one. We must demand not just apologies, but real, urgent reform.” The teacher lived in increasingly desperate conditions while stuck in Poland. He faced eviction, survived without electricity, and was forced to take on odd jobs to make ends meet – often exploited due to his uncertain legal status. Campaigners say the UK’s diplomatic failings played a significant role in his prolonged exile. “George wasn’t allowed access to the British consulate in Poland,” said Bishop Jaddoo. “When he went to the consulate in Krakow, he couldn’t speak to a British person. He was fobbed off by local staff on
WELCOME BACK: George Lee (left) is greeted by Bishop Desmond Jaddoo, Director of the Windrush National Organisation, after 27 years in Poland (photo: Windrush Movement UK, WNO, Mkuu Aman) the triage desk who told him to go away – and that happened again and again.” Jaddoo added: “This demands serious scrutiny. We’ve been telling the Home Office to stop outsourcing Commonwealth matters to local staff. “The Foreign Office and Home Office pass responsibility between them, and vulnerable people are left in limbo. No records were kept of George’s attempts to get help. He was effectively erased.” Lee says he felt forgotten by the country he helped rebuild. “I want justice – not just for me, but for the many others still stuck abroad, forgotten. I have a right to be here,” he said. “I came to the UK on my aunt’s British passport when Jamaica was
still a colony. Decades later, I was to Jamaica. He was abandoned in told I wasn’t a citizen and had all Poland. His is not an isolated case. my rights taken away. I want those The Windrush scandal didn’t just rights back.” destroy lives in the UK – it left people stranded around the world.” Lee’s return is being hailed as a BARRIERS His case is a stark reminder meaningful victory. But campaignof the long tail of the Home Of- ers insist it must be a turning point. “This return is a moment of jusfice Windrush scandal and the continued barriers faced by those tice long overdue,” said Jaddoo. seeking redress. Although the “But it’s not enough to bring people Windrush Compensation Scheme home quietly and hope the scandal and Windrush Scheme were intro- is forgotten. There must be accountduced to address the harm done, ability and systemic change.” As he took his first steps back on both have faced persistent criticism for delays, low payouts, and com- British soil, Lee made one final plea: “I want my rights back. I want my plexity. Bishop Jaddoo said Mr Lee’s story dignity back. And I want others like highlights a “new dimension” to the me to finally be seen and heard.” A Home Office spokesperson scandal – those exiled to third-party countries. “George wasn’t deported told The Voice: “It is longstanding
policy not to comment on individual cases. However, when this government arrived a year ago, it pledged to do things differently. “For 77 years, the Windrush community has made an immense contribution to our country, weaving a vital thread in the fabric of British society. “We have made a longstanding commitment to ensure victims of the Home Office Windrush scandal are heard, justice is sped up, and that the compensation scheme is run effectively. “The Home Secretary announced the appointment of the first Windrush Commissioner, Reverend Clive Foster, who will also recommend any further changes he believes are required.”
POWERLIST PREPARES TO CELEBRATE 20TH YEAR THE Powerlist prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary later this year. The countdown is officially underway for the prestigious Powerlist awards 2026 which honours the most influential Black people in Britain. Powerful Media will host the Celebration of Black Excellence Awards, at which the Powerlist will be launched, in just three months – on Friday, October 24. The landmark celebration will take place at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London.
Sir Lewis Hamilton, Edward Enninful OBE, Karen Blackett CBE, and Dame Sharon White are just some of the high-profile names to have been given the coveted title as Powerlist Number One over the years. The Celebration of Black Excellence Awards, now a staple of the awards calendar, has also featured keynote speeches delivered by former prime ministers Gordon Brown and Theresa May. Launched by Powerful Media Ltd, the Powerlist was created to
celebrate and shine a light on the UK’s most inspirational and influential people of African, AfricanCaribbean, and African-American heritage. Now entering its 20th year, the Powerlist has grown into a vital platform that not only recognises Black excellence across sectors but also helps to reframe narratives, influence perceptions, and empower the next generation of leaders. Reflecting on the significance of this year’s anniversary edition,
Michael Eboda, CEO of Powerful Media, said: “The 20th anniversary of the Powerlist is a huge milestone. Two decades ago, we set out to change the narrative and to showcase Black excellence. “This year’s Powerlist and awards ceremony will be a powerful reminder of how far we’ve come and how much more we can achieve. It will be a night of legacy, leadership, and looking ahead to a future where representation and recognition go hand in hand.”
MILESTONE: Michael Eboda, CEO of Powerful Media
26 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2025
Jacqueline McKenzie
Join the debate online voice-online.co.uk/opinion
WE ARE NOT TO BE IGNORED NEED TO BE HEARD: Protests erupted across the country in 2018 over the Home Office Windrush scandal – a crisis that continues to haunt those affected (photo:
Why do those in authority find it so easy to write off our community?
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AST MONTH saw a flurry of activities to mark Windrush Day, a celebration of the contributions of those who arrived in the UK between 1948 and 1972, mainly from the Caribbean. The day is not without controversy. Some believe it undermines the more important story of the much longer presence of Black people in the UK, in the arts, entertainment, sport, military, scholarship, seafaring, trades, professions, politics, royalty, theology and of course, as people who were enslaved. Some say there’s nothing to celebrate until Windrush victims receive full justice, as many remain uncompensated or harmed. Others stress the importance of honouring the Windrush
generation’s cultural legacy. Both views hold truth. As a lawyer for hundreds of victims, the scandal’s cause and impact are what motivate me each Windrush Day. The Windrush scandal is not just manifested in the case studies of our elders and their families, it is evidence of something far bigger and more serious, that of the condition of African and Caribbean people in the UK today. We have made some progress, but on an individual level. We are represented in all the professions and have wealth – much accumulated and inherited due to house price inflation. But overall, we are a community that those in authority feel comfortable ignoring. This is in part because of the absence of strong and effective leadership and representative
organisations, much in evidence when the Windrush scandal first hit the headlines. But also because racism continues to permeate much of life in the UK. Of any given index that measures the quality of life, you’ll find that Black Britons are likely to fare worst. Despite some gains, report after report continues to show underwhelming
outcomes and disturbing realisations. It is shocking to read headlines in 2025 that say Black women in the UK are four times more likely to die in childbirth, that Black pupils are disproportionately excluded from school, and that Black businesses fail to attract start-up finance and venture capital.
the Windrush Scandal, published after the threat of legal action, confirmed racism underpinned the Windrush scandal and past immigration laws. And after celebrating the Windrush generation, politicians included, and the appointment of a new Windrush commissioner, the Rev Clive Foster, one of its most illustrious daughters, Diane Abbott MP, Getty Images) the mother of the house and longest serving MP, was suspended for a second time for daring to say that skin colour causes a pernicious racism by virtue of its visibility. As Black people become In 2025, it’s alarming to hear the pawns in the political battle for Met’s Sir Mark Rowley call racial disparities in crime “difficult,” while the hearts and minds of those they deem indigenous to these data shows Black people are 8.3 lands, how will African and times more likely to be searched despite lower drug find rates than Caribbean people fare in the new White people. Black people are 5.7 Britannia, if we’ve fared so badly so far? times more likely to face police l Jacqueline McKenzie, is a Partner force and nearly four times more at Leigh Day and a social justice likely to be homeless. A government report, The Historical Roots of campaigner
JUNE 2025
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