PETITION - Demand an Official Apology for Enslavement and colonialism

The APPG has launched a petition, calling on the British government to take the first steps towards reparative justice: bit.ly/UKSlaveryApology

For centuries, Britain played a central role in the horrific system of African chattel enslavement and the violence of colonialism. Yet to this day, the Houses of Parliament, the UK Government, and the Monarchy have never issued a full and meaningful apology for these atrocities.

While former Prime Minister Tony Blair once expressed “deep sorrow and regret for our nation’s role in the slave trade”, this statement does not amount to a genuine apology for the enslavement, trafficking, genocide, and exploitation committed under British authority.

We believe that a formal national apology and the establishment of an All-Party Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry for Truth and Reparatory Justice would mark an essential first step towards acknowledging this grave historical injustice. Only through truth and accountability can our nation begin to heal and engage honestly with the countries and communities affected — including discussions of reparatory justice, which must go beyond financial compensation to include education, restoration, and reconciliation.

We therefore call upon the House of Commons to urge the UK Government to:

• Issue a full and meaningful apology, on behalf of both the Government and the Monarchy, for Britain’s role in African enslavement and colonialism; and

• Establish an All-Party Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry for Truth and Reparatory Justice to examine the legacy of these crimes and propose concrete steps towards repair.

It is time for Britain to face its past with honesty, courage, and responsibility — and to take the first steps towards true justice.