Lenny Henry Calls for Slavery Reparations for Black Britons

Sir Lenny Henry argues in his new book The Big Payback, co‑written with Marcus Ryder, that all Black British people should receive slavery reparations because the effects of the transatlantic slave trade continue to shape racism and inequality in the UK. The book cites a 2023 University of the West Indies estimate that the UK owes more than £18 trillion — a sum calculated for 14 Caribbean nations and not explicitly for payments to Black Britons — and explores funding ideas such as a global 1% financial‑transactions “Robin Hood” tax, with economist Bhavik Doshi saying such a levy could theoretically raise very large sums. Henry and Ryder say reparations could dismantle institutions built on slavery and reset Britain’s relationships with former colonies and emerging economies. The proposal has provoked controversy and criticism from commentators and experts urging practical solutions and social cohesion, and ministers including David Lammy and Prime Minister Keir Starmer have said the government will not make direct cash transfers. Critics also note that the UWI figure does not calculate payments to Black Britons and that much of Britain’s Black population traces its heritage to Africa rather than Caribbean slave‑descendant communities.