Pay back for slavery, says Archbishop of Canterbury
Following emancipation in 1833, the government of the day compensated all slave owners for loss of property and revenue to the tune of about £20 million.
In a radio interview on BBC Radio 4 today, Dr Rowan Williams suggests that organisations which received compensation in the 1830s were still"living off the historical legacy" and had a responsibility to future generations and that apologising for the"terrible things" done in the past is only a start.
His comments will be seen as a moral challenge to a range of institutions, from the Church of England itself to banks, universities and art galleries, whose fortunes were partly built on slavery.
The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, yesterday called on the Prime Minister to apologise formally on behalf of Britain for its role in the trade.
Related Links
Blair 'sorry' for UK slavery role Caribbean remembers end of slave trade The island of ghosts where slavery is only an echo over the water [Bunce Island, Sierra Leone]