This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament
Petition Reimburse tax payers for monies used to compensate slave owners
Issue a rebate of any monies used to pay off the debt that was taken out to pay slave owners as compensation for “loss of property”.
More details
The UK abolished slavery in 1833 by agreeing to pay slave owners for ‘loss of property’ a total sum of £20m (worth billions today). This ‘debt’ was only paid off in 2015. Almost all of UK tax payers have contributed to this bill without their knowledge.
The biggest individual compensation went to John Gladstone (Prime Minister William Gladstone’s father) for 2,500 slaves, receiving the modern equivalent of £80m. We want our hard-earned money back.
This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months
10,036 signatures
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100,000 signatures required to be considered for a debate in Parliament
Government responded
This response was given on 26 January 2021
The UK deplores the human suffering caused by slavery and the slave trade. These are among the most abhorrent chapters in the history of humanity
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The Government feels deep sorrow for the transatlantic slave trade, and it fully recognises the strong sense of public injustice about slavery. Refunding taxes is not practicable and would reduce the funding available for current public services.
Instead, the Government believes we must look to the future and focus on the shared global challenges, working to address the reality of modern slavery in the UK and around the world. It is vital to ensure that slavery has no place in today’s world and that future generations do not forget what happened in the past.
Accordingly, in addition to passing the Modern Slavery Act in 2015, the UK co-sponsored the UN resolution, initiated by Caribbean countries, to designate 25 March as an annual international day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.
On 14 June 2020, the Prime Minister pledged to establish a new Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities. This cross-government commission will examine all aspects of continuing racial and ethnic inequalities in Britain. The Commission aims to set out a new, positive agenda for change; balancing the needs of individuals, communities and society, maximising opportunities and ensuring fairness for all. The Commission will report in February 2021.
HM Treasury