Britain owes Caribbean nations £205 billion in slavery reparations, says Cambridge academic

A LEADING Cambridge academic has said that the United Kingdom owes the Caribbean £205 billion in reparations for slavery. Rev Dr Michael Banner described Britain as once being “the leading slaving nation in the world” and insists descendants of the enslaved should receive compensation. In his new book, Britain’s Slavery Debt: Reparations Now! Banner has calculated that Britain owes over £200 billion to Caribbean nations, basing the figure on compensation claims made by enslavers when slavery was abolished. Leadership Dr Banner said the Scottish Government should “show leadership” and start to repay the £20.5 billion share he says the country owes. He told The Herald on Sunday: “It’s well-known Scots played an outsized part in growing and sustaining the British empire, and Glasgow was in particular closely tied up with Caribbean trade. “Scotland now has an opportunity to show leadership once again on the side of right, by recognising the compelling case for making reparations to the nations and people of the Caribbean.” He added: “The British government has consistently failed to face up to this responsibility. Scotland can show the way.” In July last year, a landmark report said Britain owes a staggering £18.6 trillion in reparations – over...