Abolition of the Slave Trade
Posted by David Burrowes, MP for Enfield, Southgate, at 13:38, Thu 29 March 2007:
I have been involved this past week in the bicentenary commemoration of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. William Wilberforce is remembered as the key figure in bringing the uncomfortable reality of slavery to the forefront of the national conscious, both through his parliamentary campaigning and his encouragement of civil action, such as the movement to discourage people from taking sugar produced by slaves on plantations in their tea. Wilberforce's twenty-year parliamentary struggle to abolish the slave trade however, was not won through the actions of one man. Mention should be made of the vicar John Venn, and educationalist Hannah More. It was this group of Christian friends which enabled Wilberforce to see his faith as entirely compatible with political action, as Wilberforce proceeded to fight for the dignity of mankind. The abolitionists also owed much to the testimony of Olaudah Equiano who wrote a first-hand account of life aboard a slave ship and brutal treatment at the hands of slave owners. Equiano, together with the emancipated slave Ignatius Sancho, Thomas Clarkson and Granville Sharpe were instrumental in gathering public support for abolishing slave trade.
Bringing the issue closer to home, I am reminded of the lead taken by George Fox and the legacy left by active local Quakers in North London who supported the Abolition Society and had meeting houses in Enfield, Winchmore Hill and Tottenham. Several influential members are buried by the Winchmore Hill Friends Meeting House, among them John Freame and Dr John Fothergill. As a nation we should have great regret at our part in 300 years of trading of African people but also pride that through Wilberforce Britain took the lead in abolishing this crime against humanity. Sadly slavery is still with us, with over 4000 women and children trafficked into prostitution in the UK each year. The UN estimates that 12m people are trapped in slavery. Next week as we eat our Easter eggs we should be mindful of reports that half the chocolate comes from cocoa plantations that use slave labour.
What are your views on the events and activities which have taken place to mark the abolition of the slave trade in 1807?
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Posted by Alan Sitkin, 20:08, Thu 29 March 2007: (Is this post abusive?) #
Does this mean that the MP will be supporting the call by Jeff Rodin, head of Enfield's Labour Group, for a commemorative plaque?
Posted by Kris Evans, 13:23, Sun 1 April 2007: (Is this post abusive?) #
We sit and congratulate each other about the work of Mr. Wilberforce and his abolitionists. Whilst we have to acknowledge the past atrocities that the UK played, Mr. Burrowes is a little absent minded when looking at the free market. Instigated by Mrs Thatcher and her Conservative government that has inevitably made the UK an almost no-go area in manufacturing (Burberry as a case in point). We have now moved slavery away from the developed world and into countries that have less strict rules on employment and child labour. Bonded slavery of children who are working in mud pits, sulphur mines and marble holes to pay the debts of their parents. All so we can have nice kitchen tops. We see the slavery of workers in sweatshops working 20 hour days for pennies, so that we can buy the new Nike trainers. We see the slavery of workers in call centers based in India where British companies pay an employee in a year the same as they would have in the UK in one month. The companies involved shake their heads and say that they are not responsible for the employment contracts of those workers. Yes sir! Lets congratulate ourselves on abolishing slavery in the UK and into someone else’s hands.