Politics · United Kingdom · 3 hrs ago
Opposition campaign stalls Church of England’s £100m slavery fund
In 2023, the Church of England’s commissioners announced a £100m fund to address the church’s role in the transatlantic slave trade.
Retired professor and Conservative peer Nigel Biggar has led opposition, while MP Katie Lam has challenged the plan in parliament.
The campaign has included articles and lobbying against the fund, with support linked to financier Sir Paul Marshall, who owns several media outlets and has funded rightwing organisations.
The fund was meant to launch in 2024, but the opposition has helped stall its launch.
In July, the church said it also faces a legal challenge, which could cause further delays.
The dispute matters because the fund is part of the church’s effort to reckon with its historical involvement in slavery.
The Church of England’s £100m fund to address its links to the transatlantic slave trade has been stalled by an opposition campaign.
The fund, called Project Spire, was announced by the church’s commissioners in 2023 and was planned to launch in 2024.
Conservative peer Nigel Biggar has led the backlash, while Conservative MP Katie Lam has opposed the fund in parliament.
The campaign has included media coverage and lobbying, and the church said in July that it also faced a legal challenge.
The Guardian reports that financier Sir Paul Marshall has supported media outlets and groups linked to Biggar.
- Who
- The Church of England and opponents including Nigel Biggar and Conservative MP Katie Lam.
- What
- The church’s £100m fund to address its involvement in the transatlantic slave trade has stalled amid an opposition campaign.
- When
- The fund was announced in 2023 and was planned to launch in 2024. The article was published on 13 October 2026.
- Where
- The Church of England in Britain.
- Why
- The church’s commissioners said the fund would make amends for the church’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade; opponents have campaigned against it.
Church of England fund supporters
Opponents of Project Spire
Purpose
Church of England fund supporters
The fund was created to make amends for the church’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade.
Opponents of Project Spire
Nigel Biggar calls the plan virtue signalling, and Katie Lam has opposed it in parliament.
Approach
Church of England fund supporters
The church’s commissioners announced the £100m fund in 2023.
Opponents of Project Spire
Opponents have used media coverage, lobbying and parliamentary action to challenge the fund.
Then-archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said the church should consider slavery reparations for its historical role in the slave trade.
Justin Welby said he was ashamed of the church’s history and its failure, and described it as institutionally racist.
The church’s commissioners announced the Fund for Healing, Repair and Justice.
The fund’s planned launch date passed amid opposition.
The church said it faced a legal challenge to the fund.
- Fund amount
- £100m
- Fund name
- Fund for Healing, Repair and Justice, also known as Project Spire
- Announced
- 2023
- Planned launch
- 2024
- Letter to incoming archbishop
- 27 MPs and peers signed it in December
- Legal challenge
- The church said in July that it faced one
What people are saying
This is virtue signalling
I’ve got north of 100 parish churches in my constituency, many of them crumbling
I’m ashamed of our history and I’m ashamed of our failure
There is no doubt when we look at our own church that we are still deeply institutionally racist
Sources
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