Write to Your MP
The key aim of the 2024 UK Reparations Conference is taking decisive action to advance the issue of reparations for the colonisation, kidnap, trafficking, enslavement, and continued exploitation of peoples of African descent across the world.
To that end, we are encouraging people to contact their local MPs calling on them to engage in the growing conversation around reparatory justice. We have prepared a letter to MPs that you are welcome to use as a template or a basis. If you are unsure who your MP is, you can find out here.
If you prefer, you can also complete the form below for us to send a letter on your behalf. Please note, we will not be able to send the letter if you do not fill out the information in full.
Template Letter to MPs
Dear [Insert MP’s name here],
As your constituent, I am writing to you regarding calls for reparatory justice to reflect Britain’s role in the enslavement and colonisation of African peoples and the subsequent injustices that have stemmed from this.
Much of the inequality and racism faced by people of African descent today is rooted in this legacy of enslavement and colonialism – victims of the Windrush Scandal are evidence enough that it is not a matter of ancient history.
The period of Transatlantic enslavement was one of the largest forced migrations in the history of nations, with Britain second only to Portugal in the number of enslaved people transported. The British Empire was one of the largest in history. While Britain was the first country to ban slavery, slave owners were paid off with the biggest loan in state history whilst the enslaved were sent out into the world without a penny.
No apology or abstract sum of money can ever atone for the violence inflicted on human beings in our country’s name. But an apology in our country’s name can be a basis for action to address its legacy.
Reparations goes beyond financial restitution. It includes things like returning stolen artefacts, cancelling debts that have been repaid over and over, introducing a curriculum that actively engages with Britain’s history of Empire. These are the conversations being held by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Afrikan Reparations.
As your constituent, I am calling on you to engage with discussions on reparatory justice by:
Writing to the Prime Minister to ask for an official apology for Britain’s role in the Transatlantic slave trade.
Joining the APPG for Afrikan Reparations by emailing bell.ribeiroaddy.mp@parliament.uk.
I look forward to hearing back from you about your views on this important matter and the actions you are taking to advance the calls for reparatory justice for enslavement and colonialism.
Kind regards,
[Your Name]
To send the above letter to your MP, just fill in this form: