Why the Windrush matters today: New research reveals ‘state of the nation’

New research published ahead of the 75th anniversary of the SS Empire Windrush arriving in Britain has found the nation has “much more work to do” on racial equality.

The new findings were released in a report by think tank British Future, as part of the Windrush 75 network, called Why the Windrush matters today.

It found two-thirds of ethnic minority respondents agreed that “black and Asian people face discrimination in their everyday lives in Britain today,” while only 10 per cent disagreed.

Drawing on new polling by Focaldata and a series of discussion groups, the report offers a “state of the
nation” picture of public attitudes on race, identity and prejudice in the UK today.

It also examines what people know and feel about the Windrush, how we should commemorate its 75th anniversary and what we should do now to tackle prejudice and bring people together.

Six in 10 people feel that the 75th anniversary of Windrush is important for the country. That rises to 71 per cent of ethnic minorities and 84 per cent of black Caribbean Britons.

Three-quarters of the public and eight in 10 people from an ethnic minority background think that children should learn about the Windrush and how post-war migration shaped today’s society.

With a large sample of Black Caribbean and other ethnic minority respondents, the polling also found a balanced picture of attitudes towards the progress made on race and the progress still needed.

Some 71 per cent of the public and 68 per cent of ethnic minorities agree that “the UK has made significant progress on racial equality in the last 25 years”.

But 80 per cent of ethnic minorities and 66 per cent of the public as a whole agree that “the UK needs to make much more progress on racial equality in the next 25 years.”

80 per cent of ethnic minority Britons agree that the UK is a better place to live, as someone from an ethnic minority, than other countries like the USA, Germany or France.

Sunder Katwala, director of British Future and co-author of the report, said: “The Windrush 75th anniversary is an important moment to honour the pioneers of this history.

“It should now be seized as a chance to imagine our future too. Britain has changed for the better in these 75 years but we must also focus on the progress we still need to see on race.

“Committing now to an ambitious agenda for change in the quarter-century to come would be a fitting legacy.”

Pictured top: The Windrush generation arriving on boats (Picture: Courtesy TopFoto)