I agree with Sir Kier Starmer! I am going for a lie-down.

I agree too. I didn't expect this stance.

I agree too. What is done is done and we cannot turn the clock back. The ramifications of slavery are so immeasurably and globally vast that financial reparation makes no sense at all - where to start/where to stop? - who to target/who to leave out? - how to police how the money is spent? ............

I wish the amount of discussion and hand wringing about reparations for something that was admittedly truly appalling but nevertheless had the complicity of many foreign nationals involvement, was directed instead in stopping the considerable enslavement and trafficking of people in the right now!

Luckygirl3

I agree too. What is done is done and we cannot turn the clock back. The ramifications of slavery are so immeasurably and globally vast that financial reparation makes no sense at all - where to start/where to stop? - who to target/who to leave out? - how to police how the money is spent? ............

And where to find the money in the first place?

I agree the money should be spent on charging and prosecuting for modern slavery rife in this country. More trained staff to watch for it too. I think it's part of Cooper's strategy.

Yes I agree on this too. Descendents of slaves should be asked if they would like to return, I think they would prefer to stay. Just need to ask the migrants who would love to be settled here

Some reparation, if any, should only come from families who benefitted from slavery in the distant past. There was one such in my last village, had an inherited farm and manor house. No individuals should be reaping housing/land/money rewards clearly from inherited slavery profits

It's ridiculous to be asked IMO.

Completely agree. What is done is done and we can only move forwards now. Someone should try telling Lammy that. Dreadful man.

Agreed. Especially as regards resources for modern slavery which includes not just domestic servitude but sex trafficking slavery.

There do appear to be some ways where a small difference might be made (but I dont understand the financial side really)
www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/24/uk-open-to-discussing-non-cash-forms-of-reparatory-justice-for-former-colonies

keepingquiet

I agree the money should be spent on charging and prosecuting for modern slavery rife in this country. More trained staff to watch for it too. I think it's part of Cooper's strategy.

👍👏👏

TerriBull

I wish the amount of discussion and hand wringing about reparations for something that was admittedly truly appalling but nevertheless had the complicity of many foreign nationals involvement, was directed instead in stopping the considerable enslavement and trafficking of people in the right now!

Absolutely!

It’s easy to try to apportion blame for the events of the past but ultimately virtue-signalling which gets nobody anywhere.
There’s a deep deep rabbit hole of how anybody might have ended up without the evils of slavery but the point of progress is to learn from the mistakes of history not to repeat them.

I agree too. I was surprised, following the removal of the portraits of Gladstone, Raleigh and Elizabeth 1st from Downing Street because of their supposed links to slavery. I just hope Starmer holds the line.

Well, I'd like some recompense from the Vikings as my DNA shows Scandinavian heritage and clearly my female ancestor was raped.

Harriet Hartman has joined in though, thinks Sir Keir should change his tune.

Well, I don’t. What’s done is done, and present day apologising is neither use nor ornament, not just for this, but for so many things. Words mean nothing.

I think they want a bit more than an apology though.

eazybee

I agree too. I was surprised, following the removal of the portraits of Gladstone, Raleigh and Elizabeth 1st from Downing Street because of their supposed links to slavery. I just hope Starmer holds the line.

I was surprised at the extended hoo-ha and detailed debates that this or that portrait had been removed for "Sinister Reasons" including the Gladstone/slavery issues.

All irrelevant. Starmer made it clear from the beginning he chose not to have portraits

“This is not actually about Margaret Thatcher at all,” he told BBC1’s Sunday Morning with Laura Kuenssberg.

“I don’t like images and pictures of people staring down. I found it when I was a lawyer. I used to have sort of pictures of judges. I don’t like it. I like landscapes.

“This is my study, my private place where I go to work, I didn’t want a picture of anyone. As a lawyer, people try to persuade me that I needed pictures of judges staring at me the whole time. I didn’t like it. I don’t like it any more if they’re politicians.”

www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/sep/08/starmer-removed-thatcher-portrait-siberian-klitten

Instead, Starmer has negotiated with the National Gallery to borrow and feature British Artists work.

One such is this one by Dame Paula Rego
artlyst.com/whats-on-archive/paula-rego-crivellis-garden/

I think this is an imaginative and fresh approach, promoting our own culture for visitors.

Sparklefizz

Well, I'd like some recompense from the Vikings as my DNA shows Scandinavian heritage and clearly my female ancestor was raped.

Yes absolutely! I thought mine was just Norwegian but since my Ancestry update I've had Swedish added too. I think many of us are owed some sort of apology. I mean they might be all right now, they've sent us over a few good Scandi noirs of late, but their Scandi noir got up close and personal back in the 9th century and well here we all are saturated with their DNA So yes! an apology and maybe Norway could send us some of their oil as a sort of compensation, or failing that some herrings at least!

Different sections of society have been ill treated/abused etc since time immemorial. If their ancestors all seek reparation than I hazard a guess that about 90% of the world's population will be fighting about it.

And we have enough fighting going on in the world right now.

History is not about gain, it's about learning for the future.

Although sometimes I wonder if anyone has learned anything from historical atrocities.

TerriBull

Sparklefizz

Well, I'd like some recompense from the Vikings as my DNA shows Scandinavian heritage and clearly my female ancestor was raped.

Yes absolutely! I thought mine was just Norwegian but since my Ancestry update I've had Swedish added too. I think many of us are owed some sort of apology. I mean they might be all right now, they've sent us over a few good Scandi noirs of late, but their Scandi noir got up close and personal back in the 9th century and well here we all are saturated with their DNA So yes! an apology and maybe Norway could send us some of their oil as a sort of compensation, or failing that some herrings at least!

You got it 👏👏👏
And who would end up paying for "reparations" if not the ordinary beleagured British Taxpayer.
Lets leave the health service as it is and divert those funds for reparation !!!
Has everyone gone mad ?

But no one here has agreed reparations appropriate neither has KS, so don't quite see how everyone has gone mad.

Never thought about raping by Vikings, *Sparklefizz. One of ours has contracture of her little finger - a sure sign.

Luckygirl3

I agree too. What is done is done and we cannot turn the clock back. The ramifications of slavery are so immeasurably and globally vast that financial reparation makes no sense at all - where to start/where to stop? - who to target/who to leave out? - how to police how the money is spent? ............

I agree too.

Do other countries have these constant demands made upon them - Spain, Portugal, France, the Netherlands? What about the Arab slave traders?

Let’s not too too hasty in our praise of Sir Keir….

“Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to give ground on reparations amid demands from Commonwealth nations for payments of up to £18 trillion.

The Prime Minister has rejected calls for financial reparations, but is reportedly considering non-cash options such as providing debt relief.”

Thoughts are swirling. - no money on the table but cancel debts accrued by Commonwealth countries.

I suppose that’s what King Charles is mulling over too.

Luckygirl3

I agree too. What is done is done and we cannot turn the clock back. The ramifications of slavery are so immeasurably and globally vast that financial reparation makes no sense at all - where to start/where to stop? - who to target/who to leave out? - how to police how the money is spent? ............

Exactly this.
Samoa have been buttering up the King but it won’t help their case.

It happened, we learnt from it. It’s in the past and many generations away. We do not need to compensate anyone for what happened over a hundred years ago.

Look forwards and ensure that the modern day slaver traders and caught and dealt with and their ‘slaves’ are cared for.