Day: 25 October 2024

No case for reparations News Briefing

No case for reparations

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Such demands stand on shaky moral ground. The contention that slavery gave rise to British wealth appears unfounded, with generations of motivated activists attempting to find some way in which the Industrial Revolution and Britain’s subsequent economic growth derived from the trade, and in each case appearing to fall short… the argument that those living today have a moral responsibility to make amends for the sins of their forefathers can be rejected out of hand. Britain has not sought compensation from Denmark for the depredations of the Vikings, or from North Africa for the acts of the Barbary corsairs.

Starmer’s refusal has magnified the issue News Briefing

Starmer’s refusal has magnified the issue

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The government’s current position puts it out of step with a number of UK institutions, such as the Church of England, the University of Glasgow and Lloyds Bank – as well as the Guardian – who, in recent years, have not only issued formal apologies but announced proposals for reparatory justice. The insistence on focusing on “current future-facing challenges” such as climate resilience and debt restructuring went down like a lead balloon with legal experts, campaigners and the Caribbean Community (Caricom). Many felt it showed a deep ignorance of what the campaign for reparative justice actually is.

Right thing to do News Briefing

Right thing to do

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Black MPs have told Keir Starmer that considering reparations for slavery is the “right thing to do”… Bell Ribeiro-Addy said there should be a discussion about the different ways in which reparations can be paid, such as through environmental or educational reparations. “People have heard the large sums of money and they’ve got quite scared but they haven’t thought about all the different ways in which we could go about repairing the sheer imbalance of equality that we created by taking part in the enslavement and trafficking and colonisation of countries”.

Starmer’s servitude News Briefing

Starmer’s servitude

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The Prime Minister insisted slavery reparations would not be on the agenda at the summit in Samoa this week. Canny politicians from elsewhere in the Commonwealth – astute at spotting the weakest link – appear to have outsmarted him to secure a debate on the topic…Any wobble by Sir Keir should concern us all and begs the question, yet again, whether he is really up to the job. On the world stage – beyond the cosy confines of Labour Party internal politicking – he seems to struggle with the twilight arts of diplomacy, distraction and negotiation.

Chancellor tweaks rules to release billions – Paper Talk News Briefing

Chancellor tweaks rules to release billions – Paper Talk

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Friday’s front pages continue their coverage of the upcoming budget with speculation and analysis offered up on the front pages.
King Charles is featured on many of the front pages during a trip to Somao – as a handful of headlines reflect the international calls for Britain – and the royal family – to pay reparations over its role in slavery.
A few of the papers lead on their own exclusives – independent stories away from the big headlines today – with domestic topics such as the rise in shoplifting finding prominence on the splashes.
To little surprise, Manchester United’s 1-1 draw in the Europa League leads the back pages.

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