Slavery may have been abolished in 1838, but its legacy lives on in Britain today. A lot of the nation benefited financially from the trade, none more so than the slaveholders who were compensated during abolition. Today, William and Anita are joined by Alex Renton, whose family were such beneficiaries. Listen as he argues that slavery is not ancient history: it's a bit of our past that still haunts the present in real and tangible ways.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/empirepod.

Twitter: @Empirepoduk

Email: empirepoduk@gmail.com

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Producer: Callum Hill
Exec Producer: Jack Davenport + Neil Fearn
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