Newham recording artist Crystxl King tells of her Windrush Scandal experience in a song. Her mother was born in London, her father came to the UK from St. Lucia when he was 14, established a living and raised his family.

After 40 years in the country he received a letter from the Home Office informing him that his citizenship had come into question and he had to prove that he had the right to remain here.

Like most people of his generation he had discarded all the documents that would have been of help to him and so he was unable to produce what was required. This began a very stressful period for the family, which Crystxl captures in her song Tried to Take My Daddy Away.

The family were forced to engage a solicitor and Crystxl talks about a desperate, sometimes tearful, time trolling through old photographs and other documents. They eventually succeeded and he was given the right of stay.

You can find the song on Newham Council’s Songs for Windrush page.

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