Slavery in Britain

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Slavery in Britain existed before the Roman occupation, which occurred from approximately AD 43 to AD 410, and the practice endured in various forms until the 11th century, during which the Norman conquest of England resulted in the gradual merger of the pre-conquest institution of slavery into serfdom in the midst of other economic upheavals. Given the widespread socio-political changes afterwards, slaves were no longer treated differently from other individuals in either English law or formal custom. By the middle of the 12th century, the institution of slavery as it had existed prior to the Norman conquest had fully disappeared, but other forms of unfree servitude continued for some centuries.

British merchants were a significant force behind the Atlantic slave trade (also known as the "transatlantic" slave trade) between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries,^[1] but no legislation was ever passed in England that legalised slavery.^{[citation needed]} In the case Somerset v Stewart (1772) 98 ER 499, Lord Mansfield ruled that, as slavery was not recognised by English law, James Somerset, a slave who had been brought to England and then escaped, could not be forcibly sent to Jamaica for sale, and was set free. In Scotland, colliery (coal mine) slaves were still in use until 1799, when an act was passed which established their freedom, and made slavery and bondage illegal.^[2][3]

An abolitionist movement grew in Britain during the 18th and 19th centuries, until the Slave Trade Act 1807 prohibited the slave trade in the British Empire. However, it was not until 1937 that the trade of slaves was made illegal throughout the empire, with Nigeria and Bahrain being the last British territories to abolish slavery.^[4][5][6][7]

Despite being contrary to the laws of the UK, practices described as "modern slavery" still exist in Britain and have often involved the effects created by human traffickers attacking those from poorer countries, such as those undertaking various crimes victimising Vietnamese nationals. At the same time, multiple groups within the organised crime networks in the UK have frequently targeted British nationals. The country's government has, in a public statement, noted how "gangs exploit vulnerable individuals to transport [illegal] substances", and "who is recognised as a victim of modern slavery" includes both men and women as well as adults and children. Specifically, in 2022, a full "12,727 potential victims of modern slavery were referred to the Home Office in 2021, representing a 20% increase compared to the preceding year".^[8]