Michael Highlights Abhorrent Modern Day Slavery.

Human rights activist Michael Connarty MP has made a powerful speech against human trafficking on Anti - Slavery Day (October 14th)

Human rights activist Michael Connarty MP has spoken up in debates held in Westminster Hall and the House of Commons for the estimated 27 million people world wide who are trapped into a life of modern day slavery despite the supposed termination of this affront to human decency way back with the slavery abolition act of 1833. Presently in the UK alone the association of chief police officers research reported that 30 000 women have been trafficked to the UK and forced into prostitution – the figure rises to 70 000 victims throughout Europe. Others are trafficked for “use” as domestic servants, often effectively imprisoned in one place and their main key to freedom – their passport – taken from them by their “employers”.

Wolverhampton North East MP Emma Reynolds called for the first debate which was held in Westminster Hall. It followed on from other work done before the election by the all party group on human trafficking and the excellent work of former MP Anthony Steen on the issue as well as enquiries and reports in the previous Parliament. Mr Connartys substantial contribution to the debate was in the words of Peter Bone MP who also spoke in Westminster Hall” a very powerful speech”.

Michael said within his speech that many thousands of people are trapped in this modern day slavery often lured to the UK “with the promise of good well paid jobs and they end up being domestic servants who are paid a very low wage, trapped in the house,have their passport taken from them and told if they go out they will be sent back to where they have come from.” Michael quoted the example of a person who had come to him for help “someone came to see me recently who over nine years had basically been moved from Chinese restaurant to Chinese restaurant around the UK. They were told if they ever went to see anyone they would be sent back to China, where for various reasons they did not want to return”.

The Linlithgow and East Falkirk MP had already asked at Prime Ministers question time in the chamber back on September 15^th about the issue of human trafficking and further to the question had written to David Cameron pointing out the weakness of the sexual offences act 2003 which is currently the legislation mainly used in relation this vile ongoing trade.

During the second debate held on (appropriately) anti – slavery day October 14th Michael Connarty said “We should be focussing not so much on what is happening in the UK alone as the fact is that there are still 27 million people in some form of slavery throughout the world. We should look seriously at the heritage left by former Totnes MP Anthony Steen, as a member of the European Scrutiny Committee (which Michael Connarty Chaired) he never talked about the UK in isolation instead he travelled around Europe urging other Parliaments to focus on this issue.

Michael Connarty then concluded by putting forward a firm proposal asking the new Government to sign the EU directive on human trafficking which he felt would go a long way in tackling modern day slavery in both the UK and throughout Europe, he said “in my written question to the Prime Minister I asked why we have not yet committed to sign up for the EU directive on human trafficking which is not simply a protocol but would be legally binding on all EU Countries. The directive would give us here in Britain not just the power but importantly the duty to pursue any UK citizen involved in trafficking anywhere in the world. In a civilized society we must strive to take every step possible to free those trapped in any form of modern day slavery