The Windrush scandal has brought many uncomfortable things to light about the British government and the way it works.

Prior to a few months ago, I had dealt with a handful of what are now known as Windrush cases and I assumed that these were the exception, just cock-ups perhaps due to hyperactive officialdom.

Then the stories began to break of what was really going on and I am now dealing with more than 50 cases. Now Leyton and Wanstead does not have a huge number of residents who could be classified as Windrush or Windrush children cases, so 50 is a pretty high proportion.

So what has crept out into the public domain is a culture of trying to deport as many people as possible regardless of their individual cases.

Add to that the very heavy cuts that the Home Office has experienced since 2010 and you have a lethal combination.

It has become something of a cliché to say that Windrush migrants came to Britain to rebuild a shattered economy and infrastructure after the Second World War – but it is, nevertheless, true.

Apart from anything else, this episode has wrought damage to Britain’s relations with Caribbean countries, who at one time looked on the UK as their closest ally.

The government should expand the Home Office, start dealing with people fairly and get to work on rebuilding international relationships.