Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade

Absolutely. The African emancipation day is an important date. I shall be working with the Mayor, who has come up with some fantastic recommendations in this bicentenary year. Although some parties have tried to reduce the funding for that day, I am pleased that it will be going ahead and I shall be working closely with the Mayor to make sure that it does so. The Jamaican poet David Neita said that freedom is a right and not an end in itself. It is not a static process; we need to struggle constantly to extend freedom. Part of our freedom is the teaching of our story. As the late, great Robert Nester Marley said:"““Today they say that we are free""Only to be chained in poverty.""Good God, I think it’s all illiteraci.””" To put those words in a modern context, I welcome the announcement yesterday of an additional £6 million for extra tuition courses and the Chancellor’s £10 million for the ““Aimhigher”” scheme. Such funding has led to a remarkable 93 per cent. of key stage 4 pupils at Copeland school in Brent achieving five or more good GCSEs. I am very proud of that result at my school. In the UK, we must continue to travel in that direction. In Africa, we must continue to invest, because the economic exploitation of Africa continued long after slavery ended. The Labour Government have made historic commitments to ending poverty in Africa. After all, we have a huge debt to Africa, although in fact it can never be repaid. Those who doubt it need to be reminded, which is why I have been campaigning in Parliament for an annual remembrance day. In the Deputy Prime Minister’s opening speech, he said that the debate on slavery had been going on for a long time. Indeed, it has. In 2004, my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mrs. Ellman) tabled an early-day motion on the subject, yet the Government are still not sure whether we should have a remembrance day. I say yes, we should—[Interruption.] For the record, Mr. Deputy Speaker, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister also says yes.