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Lord Gifford and the House of Lords

Lord Gifford and the House of Lords

Another leading figure in Britain’s Reparations Movement during the 1990s was Lord Anthony Gifford. In his capacity as a human rights and social justice lawyer, one of his major contributions was his publication, The Legal Basis of the Claim for Reparations. As the title describes, this work asserted that claims for Reparations had a legal basis, and the crimes inflicted upon Africa, Africans and African descendants were not only woefully immoral, but also violated international laws. This paper was initially presented in 1993 as a paper at the Abuja Conference. Previous to his work on Reparations, Lord Gifford was chairman of the Broadwater Farm and the Liverpool 8 inquiries which both investigated structural racism in Britain in the aftermath of the two locale’s uprisings.

The Legal Basis of the Claim for Reparations

As a member of the House of Lords until 1999, Lord Gifford raised the issue of Reparations. On 14th March 1996, in asking the British Government if they will make appropriate reparation, Lord Gifford provided a lengthy argument, highlighting the history of slavery and its legacy in modern Britain as well as internationally. Gifford concluded with a request to build a more equitable future: “As we move to the next millennium, none of us can deny that there is a growing divide between north and south, between black and white, across frontiers and within frontiers. It is in the interests of all of us to recognise that the reasons for that divide lie in a shameful past. If we realise that, we will be on the way to doing something to repair the wrong which was done, even though it may cost heavily in terms of pride and revenue. The steps to be taken will bring a happier world for all our children”.