Scotland’s role in slave trade examined at Parliament’s politics festival

Now in its 11th year, this year’s programme has more than 30 events.

Following an international theme, events on the first day will explore the future of the Commonwealth as well as the challenges facing democracy in the 21st century.

Speaking on the opening day, presiding officer, Tricia Marwick MSP said: “This year’s Festival is all about inspiring people to see the world differently and to give people time to pause and reflect on some of the biggest issues happening in the world around us. What better place to do this than in Scotland’s Parliament.

“As the Festival opens we will hear from Sir Tom Devine about the legacy of Scotland’s role in the slave trade, a legacy which still exists today. It is events like this that makes the Festival of Politics such an important part of Edinburgh’s festival calendar by providing a space where our opinions can be shaped and changed.”

In today’s event “Scotland and Slavery” historian Sir Tom Devine will give a lecture based on his book Recovering Scotland’s Slavery Past: The Caribbean Connection.

The lecture will be followed by a panel discussion chaired by the presiding officer. Panellists include Louise Welsh, author and collaborator on The Empire Café 2014 Commonwealth Games Project on Scotland’s involvement with the North Atlantic Slave Trade, the academic and author Sir Geoff Palmer OBE, and historian Stephen Mullen.