This week in Parliament James raised the outrage of modern slavery.
Recent investigative journalism has shone a light on the misery reportedly caused by the exploitation of people paid £2 or £3 an hour in garment factories in Leicester to produce so-called fast fashion. Alarmingly the deputy mayor of Leicester said this situation was widely know about: “you call it an open secret. It is just open.”
That is unacceptable.
During a Public Accounts Committee hearing, James pressed the Home Office’s most senior official on the need to act to tackle such abuses. He assured James these claims were being investigated prior to the media reports.
But modern slavery is not something that only exists in inner cities. The Norfolk Modern Slavery Collaboration reports that over 100 people were rescued from modern slavery in Norfolk last year. Anyone with concerns about such abuses should contact the Police or by calling the Modern Slavery Helpline 08000 121 700 which is open 24/7.
