DEBATE: Rafe Heydel-Mankoo vs Kehinde Andrews

Historian, Broadcaster / Academic, Author

Few subjects inspire as much fury and indignation as Britain’s history of slavery.

To both wings of the debate, it defines the nation’s story. To some, it’s the most contemptible smear on a shameful tapestry; a pervasive stain that exposes the psyche of imperial England, and an evil that must be righted. If that’s even posisble.

To others, it’s the defining example of British exceptionalism. Not the trade itself, but the foresight of ending it, and the exhaustive effort the country exhibited to do so. Not just its own, but the world’s.

The prism through which we should look back is not settled. But much less settled is what we do about it now. Reparations.

What does Britain owe the descendants of its slaves? Does it also owe the nations it traded with anything? If there is a debt, has Britain already paid it? Is Britain owed anything?

These are weighty questions, and we wanted to hear from both sides. We also wanted voices that represented the ferocity and magnitude the topic inspires. Two immediately came to mind, and we were thrilled to host them.

Who did we invite?

Making the case for reparations is Kehinde Andrews, Britain’s first Professor of Black Studies, currently stationed at Birmingham City University. He has advocated for reparations in a debate hosted by Intelligence Squared and in an appearance on Piers Morgan.

Representing the opposition is Rafe Heydel-Mankoo. Rafe is a popular historian and broadcaster, renowned for his exceptional knowledge of Britain’s royal history. He has previously debated the subject at Cambridge University and on GB News.

What happened?

Moderated by Konstantin, our two guests sit across the iconic Trig table. Both fierce defenders of their respective positions, we invite them to state their case.

First, we hear from Kehinde.

“If you think about reparations the correct way, there’s no good argument against it.”

It’s a hell of a claim to open a debate of any kind, and it’s undeniably intriguing. Kehinde argues that not only has the debt of slavery not been paid - far from it - but the Western powers found new and more underhanded means of suppressing their black populations. After centuries of underserving these communities and handicapping them from helping themselves, reparations are just one step towards righting the historical and contemporary wrongs of white supremacy.

”We shouldn’t think of slavery as something that happened in the past and therefore something we should get past. The harm continued with colonialism, with modern-day racism… If you’re going to look at the black-and-white wealth gap in the UK and in the world, it is impossible to not trace that to slavery. Until the wound is healed, reparations are due.”

Rafe - it might surprise you to learn - is not convinced. He puts forth the counterargument.

“Slavery is a healed wound, and we are clawing at it. The abolition of the slave trade happened over 200 years ago, and Britain was the leading force. Reparations is a matter of tort law; the idea is to put someone in the position they were in before the damage was caused. But there are no victims of empire slavery today.”

But Rafe goes further. Not only are reparations unjust, but that the policy’s advocates know that. Instead, it’s a guise for something more sinister.