Liberalism gone mad is ‘destroying’ the UK - Ben Habib in passionate speech on the 'attack' on our national identity

He said: “Our identity as a nation is itself being targeted.

“I believe in the constitutional democratic unit that is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

“Such a unit can't exist if you hold those who came before you in contempt and in shame.

“Such a unit can't go forward proudly and prosperously if those who inhabit the islands don't believe in the islands.

“And I see the attack on our history and our language as a mechanism, frankly, to destroy the United Kingdom.”

Ben Habib’s speech comes as the row over whether Britain should pay slavery reparations rumbles on.

Sir Keir Starmer, who is set to meet commonwealth leaders in Samoa this week, is set to fend off calls for reparations at the summit.

The 56 nations of the Commonwealth are set to pick a new leader from a group of three, all of which have expressed support for the UK paying some form of reparations.

A No 10 spokesman said: “Just to be clear, reparations are not on the agenda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

“Secondly, the Government’s position has not changed. We do not pay reparations.”

Mr Habib said: “All those against whom those atrocities were committed are dead. All those who committed the atrocities are dead.

“Calls for reparations are merely a manifestation of this attack to which I refer on the country.

“Archbishop Welby should hold his head in shame as the head of the Church of England, giving in to a narrative that undermines the existence of England, because that's precisely what that reparations debate is all about.”

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has drawn criticism for his proactive approach to reparations. In 2022, the Church of England pledged £100million of investment over the next nine years to “address past wrongs” after its endowment fund was found to be linked to the slave trade.

On the high levels of immigration to Britain over the last 25 years, Mr Habib said: “The promotion and celebration of ethnic and religious minorities, sexual minorities, sexual preferences, transgender ideology ... has sometimes been to the detriment of the majority of the people in this country.

“It is liberalism gone mad. It's the liberals telling us that we must champion and celebrate minorities to help with democracy, to help with the interests of the majority.

“It is reverse racism, and the attack on the United Kingdom comes from this reverse racism.

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“They want to tell you that your forefathers were all slave traders. They want to tell you that you should hang your head in shame.

“If you hang your head in shame and you accept the argument that all your forefathers were slave traders and contributed absolutely nothing of any value to the globe, that is the end of the United Kingdom.”

The Battle of Ideas festival, which happened over the weekend, describes itself as “the home of no–holds–barred discussion of all the big issues of our time.” It has a programme of speakers and is focused on promoting free speech.