Cambridge academic's claim: UK owes £205 billion in reparations to Caribbean nations

A Cambridge academic says the UK owes £205 billion in slavery reparations to the Caribbean. Rev Dr Michael Banner believes Britain was once a major slaving nation and that modern descendants of slaves deserve compensation. He calculated this amount in his book, "Britain’s Slavery Debt." The UK owes over £200 billion to descendants of slavery. Dr. Banner urges the Scottish Government to lead by example and start repaying its £20.5 billion share, which is one-tenth of the total owed by Britain. Dr. Banner emphasizes that Scotland has historical ties to the British empire and Caribbean trade. He thinks Scotland should recognize the need for reparations. Despite the UK government rejecting the idea of reparations, Dr. Banner insists that Scotland should take the lead in addressing this issue. He believes that the UK has a moral duty to repay for the injustices of slavery. The academic based the repayment amount on the compensation claims made by slave owners when slavery was abolished. He highlighted that each slave was valued at £60 at the time, with millions transported from Africa to the Caribbean. Dr. Banner argues that the current Caribbean population are the descendants of those wronged by slavery, and the UK has benefited from this wealth. Some institutions, like the Church of England and the University of Glasgow, have agreed to set up funds for slavery reparations. Despite opposition from some MPs who dismissed the idea of reparations, Dr. Banner continues to advocate for acknowledging and addressing the historical injustices of slavery.