If Boris Johnson wants a global Britain he needs to get serious about ending modern slavery
This was first published in Ethical Corporation on 6 August 2019
In his first speech to parliament as the new UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson paid tribute to his predecessor Theresa May’s efforts in “fighting modern slavery”. But what are the prospects for Johnson’s government to continue tackling this global blight?
May’s flagship achievement, the Modern Slavery Act (2015), was a landmark piece of legislation and the first of its kind. It requires companies with a £36m turnover to publish statements on what they are doing to identify and prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains.
But in the years since it was introduced, the gaps in this legislation have become increasingly clear – and new tougher laws across Europe and in Australia mean the UK could fall behind.