The Empire Windrush, which arrived in Britain 70 years ago today, did so in the same year as the creation of the State of Israel, which in turn, but instantly, created a strong sense of distinct Palestinian nationhood.
In themselves, the Israeli and Palestinian identities, which are now into their fourth generations, are entitled to the same respect and recognition as the Black British identity of post-War, post-Windrush origin.
I am open to correction, but apart from extremely small groups such as the St Helenians, I cannot think of a post-War immigrant community in Europe that is more integrated than the Afro-Caribbeans in Britain. More than 50 per cent of people with at least one Afro-Caribbean grandparent have at least one white grandparent.
Hence the Windrush Scandal. Hence the fact that it was a scandal. 50 years ago, the young men fought in the streets, and their wives refused to speak to one another in the shops. But 50 years later, those same couples have grandchildren in common.
And they know it. They know each other. They have known each other for years, and years, and years. The white public was recently outraged, not because the West Indians were "like family", but because the West Indians were family.
In themselves, the Israeli and Palestinian identities, which are now into their fourth generations, are entitled to the same respect and recognition as the Black British identity of post-War, post-Windrush origin.
I am open to correction, but apart from extremely small groups such as the St Helenians, I cannot think of a post-War immigrant community in Europe that is more integrated than the Afro-Caribbeans in Britain. More than 50 per cent of people with at least one Afro-Caribbean grandparent have at least one white grandparent.
Hence the Windrush Scandal. Hence the fact that it was a scandal. 50 years ago, the young men fought in the streets, and their wives refused to speak to one another in the shops. But 50 years later, those same couples have grandchildren in common.
And they know it. They know each other. They have known each other for years, and years, and years. The white public was recently outraged, not because the West Indians were "like family", but because the West Indians were family.
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