Human Trafficking Foundation

Three cheers for the splendid action of Lord Ashcroft in joining the fight against modern day slavery in the UK.

Slavery is more prevalent today than in William Wilberforce’s time, and fighting this abhorrent crime should be a priority of all Governments across the world.

The All Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking which I set up in 2005 is one of the largest in Parliament and benefits from cross-party support. Today the APPG’s Joint-Chairman Baroness Elizabeth Butler-Sloss GBE (who is also a trustee of the Human Trafficking Foundation, which I founded in 2010) is moving amendments to the Legal Aid Bill, drawing attention to fears that the Government could be inadvertently preventing victims from suing their traffickers due to the removal of the legal framework enabling them to do so. On 2 February, Lord Eames will chair a debate on trafficking in the House of Lords. It all helps to keep this issue at the forefront of political debate.

As chair of the Human Trafficking Foundation, I welcome all initiatives that will fight this crime, and I welcome Lord Ashcroft’s news that a nationwide campaign led by Crimestoppers to tackle human trafficking will be launched.

Anthony Steen, Chairman of the Human Trafficking Foundation