Two events in recent politics have revealed the two-faced nature of this Tory-led Government. The first was a debate in the Commons, last week, to introduce a “new” Anti-Slavery Bill. Now, if my historical knowledge is correct, After August 1, 1833 came an Act for the Emancipation of Slaves, at the very same time that Lord Shaftesbury introduced Ashley’s Factory Act, protecting children under 9 from working in textile factories. Earlier, in 1772, Lord Justice Mansfield had declared that slavery was illegal in England. (Somerset’s case) John Wesley and also the Quakers denounced it.
It was William Wilberforce, the MP for Hull, who, along with Thomas Clarkson and Granville Sharp, founded the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, in 1787. At theCongress of Vienna in 1815, slavery was declared: “repugnant to the principles of civilisation.” However it took 46 years to abolish it, so why are MP’s discussing it today? Firstly, there has been real concern shown for the amount of Eastern Europeans coming into Britain for jobs that didn’t exist. Getting exploited by ruthless employers and basically being used as .....yes, you’ve guessed it, Slave Labour in 21st century Britain! Remember the cockle-pickers of Morecambe Bay? This all seems to be part-and-parcel of the new Welfare Reforms. No wonder Glenda Jackson set about Iain Duncan Smith so vociferously in the Commons. His “Reforms” have cost the tax-payer millions, also, they’ve been heavily criticised and so has he.
This was highlighted vividly by the case of Cait Reilly, a geology graduate in Birmingham, who was told by Job Centre Plus if she did not accept and carry out unpaidwork at a Poundland store, she would lose her £53.45p weekly benefits. This was in 2011. She took legal action against the Government on the grounds that her work experience amounted to forced labour(slavery). She contested the Government’s flagship back-to-work schemes brought in by Iain Duncan-Smith’s DWP and the Welfare Reform Act. This case will go down in history, for sure.
Her claim that the schemes were legally flawed was upheld by High Court Judges and the schemes were quashed. Now, the Government cynically intends to re-write the legislation to make them legal. This, in 21st century Britain. Bending the law to suit your politics! It is a moral disgrace, presided over by an amoral, irresponsible and cold-hearted Government. This, in itself, should make our blood boil and make us rise up and demand a stop to this unfair exploitation, not only of foreign workers but of our own British people. As a nation we should be scandalised by all this.
The MP’s do right to debate a “new” Anti-Slavery Bill, they ought to wake up and see what is happening under their very noses. This is the most cynical hypocrisy I’ve ever heard of. No one should ever be forced to work for no wage. This is a return to the standards of the dark-ages and beyond. How much lower can this profit-oriented Government sink, before it is ousted? Slavery IS repugnant and to condone it, is barbaric and evil! David Cameron should be ashamed that this is happening, but, perhaps, he has no shame. Perhaps Wilberforce should return from the grave to set the future course on a straighter line and teach Cameron a lesson about ‘Slavery.’ If this is the future for the young unemployed, then God preserve us!