On behalf of the British people, I would like to apologise for the slave trade. I am sorry we were the first great power in history to turn its guns on it. I am sorry it cost us around 2,000 sailors to free 150,000 people they would never meet. I am sorry the rest of the world took so long to follow.
Slavery did not begin with Britain. It is as old as civilisation. Babylon wrote it into law. Rome built an empire on it. The Vikings sold Englishmen through the slave market at Dublin. In 1625 Barbary corsairs took 60 men, women and children out of a Cornish church; by 1640 Parliament was told 3,000 to 5,000 English people were held in Algiers alone.
Every great power of the age took part in the Atlantic trade. Portugal and Spain for a century before an English ship did. Then the Dutch, the French — and the British, who in the eighteenth century carried more than anyone. That is the record. It is not disputed here.
Then a nation turned on the trade that had made it rich.
Wilberforce's bill was beaten year after year. On 25 March 1807 it passed. Then Britain did the part the critics never mention — it sent the Royal Navy to enforce it. The West Africa Squadron sailed in 1808, two ships for 3,000 miles of coast, and hunted slavers for nearly sixty years. Britain paid Spain and Portugal to open their ships to search. HMS Black Joke ran down the slaver El Almirante in 1829 and found 466 people in her hold.
Around 2,000 British sailors died doing it — most of fever, to free people they would never meet. 1,600 slave ships seized. 150,000 Africans set free.
In 1833 Parliament borrowed £20 million to end slavery across the Empire. The debt was not finally redeemed until 2015. The United States needed a civil war. Cuba held slaves until 1886. Brazil until 1888 — eighty-one years after Westminster voted.
Yes, we took part in the trade. Every power of the age did. None of them fought it like we did.
So yes. I will apologise. I am sorry it cost us so much. I am sorry the rest of the world took so long to follow.
That is not something you apologise for. That is something you teach.
#history #britishhistory #royalnavy #westafricasquadron
@themichaelgiles I’m a nurse and left nhs as I was the minority obviously I’m far right 😂 and my heart was breaking seeing the awful standards of care due to different cultures and lack of communication with most and mainly our elderly, not by all but most and I feel exactly the same
@BlackKnight7050 Thank you for having sense and writing a perfect post and hopefully stopping the sad rumour mongers with their conspiracy theories. RIP to the nine souls and thoughts and prayers to their family and friends.
@benonwine If I ever was lucky enough to win the lottery one of the first things I would do is open an abattoir that only used the kindest of ways possible, even if I made a loss I would keep it open, it breaks my heart and boils my blood to think this torture happens here
🚨BREAKING: Mamdani is furious that Jesus lit up the massive billboards in Times Square as thousands gathered to witness it in the heart of NYC.
Maybe New York isn’t lost after all.
The mainstream media censored this... Let's make it go viral!
@GBNEWS@Alexarmstrong@PeterBleksley 2/2 coildnt fue to epilepsy, my youngest son was turned down to join the marines as had counselling when he was 13 and now aged 30 they would want him to fight, absolutely no way I’m afraid to say. He isn’t a coward, how can he fight when are flag is bad?
@GBNEWS@Alexarmstrong@PeterBleksley I love listening to you, but for my boys to fight for a country that don’t care about them and care more for the Muslims of the country, absolutely no will I allow them to do that, and that is from someone who would have loved to have joined the army but ….
@emhuze@laughnowmonkey@TRobinsonNewEra Bleach and white vinegar in a spray bottle isn’t illegal as far as I’m aware, I’ve got them for my daughter in law!
🚨 ATTENTION
Just to let everyone know.
The 20th November, the Antifa group are coming to London to protest and most likely cause a riot like they have in France, Germany and Italy.
EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE ON HIGH ALERT. DO NOT LET your children go, whether they are in university, college or high school.
These guys are there to cause harm and loot.
They are allegedly being coordinated via a Discord group from Europe and are now bringing it to the UK.
These guys aren’t protesters, they are violent criminals coming to harm the public and the military services we have in this country.
EVERYONE SHARE!
I personally know a hell of a lot of people who are voting for Reform.
From all walks of life and different environments.
Not one of them are going to jump to the Tories or Restore.
No-one I know is going to vote for Restore and no-one they know is going to either.
From my football team and other teams in the league. I chat with 100s from the football teams I play against.
100s in the company I work for. Not one voting for Restore. A few Tories and some Labour in that environment yes but not Restore. I travel all over the country with the company.
I play in a pool league and my team plays all over the county against other clubs and pub teams. Again not one Restore supporter. We often travel into two other nearby counties also.
In the Reform branch I'm in whilst knocking on doors. Not one Restore supporter.
Don't be fooled by the paid for accounts on social media pushing Restore and the other fooled by Lowe people.
Restore is never going to have enough people voting for them to win a General Election. Only split the votes in close constituencies and hand Labour or the Greens seats by taking a few votes off Reform.
Don't be fooled by it. Don't be fooled by Lowe.
Reform is the only party on the Right side of politics that will fix and save Britain. It's up to the Right to vote for Reform. Don't mess that chance up. If Labour wins then Britain is totally finished.
Don't forget to ❤️ and 🔁
@patriots777888 I agree with lots of restore policies and have been bouncing between restore and record. I keep leaning towards reform as I don’t think some of restores policies are sadly doable, they would just keep hitting hurdles. Maybe the election after once they are more established ,
@jan_fifi@TheFakeDouchass Yes flew it in, gave him a different birth day and with all the smuggling then registered in UK for may 7th, bit puzzled about the room at the Portland and the staff but with NDA’s I suppose anything is possible!