Labour for a Republic will be hosting our yearly fringe event at the Labour Party Conference in October.
Read our press release below for more information:
Professor Hakim Adi will join Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP and Graham Smith, CEO of Republic, as a guest speaker at a meeting in Liverpool on ‘Slavery, Colonialism and the Monarchy’. The meeting will be on 9th October during Labour’s Annual Conference.
Professor Adi was the first person of African descent to become a Professor of History in the UK and is an expert in the history of Africa and the African diaspora. Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Afrikan Reparations.
“We are delighted that Hakim Adi and Bell Ribeiro-Addy have agreed to speak at our meeting,” said Labour for a Republic’s Secretary, Ken Ritchie.
“We started planning this meeting when questions were being raised about whether the British state should do much more to make amends for its role in slavery. British monarchs were directly involved in the slave trade and it’s not surprising that several former colonies are contemplating ditching the monarchy and becoming republics.
“There are also wider issues to be explored. As republicans, we want a society in which all citizens enjoy the same respect and the same rights of citizenship, but today we’re far from that goal. It’s therefore important that we understand the nature of the society we live in – how it has been shaped by history, including colonial history, and the extent to which many of our fellow citizens still suffer from the appalling way their ancestors were treated. That’s what makes the work that Professor Adi has been doing so important.”
Labour for a Republic has also expressed concern at the University of Chichester’s proposals to end research programmes which Professor Adi has been leading, and fears that the University’s decision seems very short-sighted and insensitive to demands of those, and particularly those of Afro-Caribbean heritage, who want a better sort of society.
“We note the petition organised by ‘History Matters’ and wish it every success,” said Ken Ritchie.
Notes:
- The meeting on ‘Slavery, Colonialism and the Monarchy: How will Labour respond to demands for justice?’ will be held on Monday 9th October in the Liverpool Quaker Meeting House starting at 7.00 pm.
- A petition relating to Chichester University’s proposals can be found here: https://www.change.org/p/stop-university-of-chichester-s-axing-of-the-mres-history-of-africa-the-african-diaspora
Do look out for more information on this event, which we will be releasing in the next few days.