Bicentenary should inspire modern anti-slavery campaign - Bruce

12.01.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 25th Mar 2007

200 years after its abolition there are an estimated 27 million people trapped in slavery today

Speaking on the 200th Anniversary of the Parliamentary Act which abolished the slave trade, Gordon MP Malcolm Bruce said in a House of Commons speech:

"I am grateful that Scotland is acknowledging its role in the slave trade as well as its abolition and that there are many events taking place in Scotland, including in my city of Aberdeen, which will enable the present generation to learn from this history."

"Sadly slavery has not yet been abolished. The United Nations estimates that 27 million people are effectively enslaved today. In the spirit of the commemoration, we must take this issue forward and the UK must take a lead."

"I welcome the fact that the Government is to sign the Council of Europe's Convention against human trafficking, but given the long delay in signing it, I now look to the Government to commit to ratifying the Convention as soon as possible. Until it is ratified, people who are trafficked do not appear to have any recourse and are constantly told that they are illegal immigrants with no rights. We must offer them more protection."

Mr Bruce is Liberal Democrat representative on the Deputy Prime Minister's cross party panel to discuss national Abolition of Slavery events. Mr Bruce will be commemorating the day itself (Sunday) by attending a local service and civic event in Aberdeen. He will also be attending the National Commemoration event in Westminster Abbey on Tuesday (27th March) which will be attended by the Deputy Prime Minister, Sir Menzies Campbell MP and David Cameron MP.