TORY MP FORTUNE BUILT ON SLAVERY
He inherited 621-acre Barbados sugar plantation Thousands of enslaved Africans worked the land
PLANTATION Drax estate and, below, main house
I drive through Drax Hall land I feel a sense of being in a massive killing field with unmarked cemeteries. Sugar and Black Death went hand in glove.
“It’s no answer for Richard Drax to say it has nothing to do with him when he is the owner and inheritor. They should pay reparations.”
He said slave-owning families were “criminally enriched” and lived on “the criminal proceeds”.
David Comissiong, Barbados ambassador to CARICOM, said: “This was a crime against humanity and we impose upon him and his family a moral responsibility to contribute to the effort to repair the damage.
“You can’t simply walk away from the scene of the crime. They have a responsibility now to make some effort to help repair the damage.”
TV presenter and historian David
Olusoga said: “From the very early stages of the family’s involvement in slavery and the sugar trade, the Drax dynasty were able to generate extraordinary wealth through the cultivation of sugar grown by enslaved Africans.”
Father-of-four Mr Drax faced criticism in 2009 from political rivals for “hiding his aristocratic roots” by not using his quadruple-barrelled name.
The ex-Army officer, who worked as a BBC journalist, makes money from renting property and in 2016 voted against legislation that would outlaw homes unfit for human habitation. He owns some 125 Dorset properties personally or through family trusts.
He has a £4.5million holiday villa on Sandbanks, which is rented out at almost £7,000 a week in peak season.
His first wife was Zara LeggeBourke – younger sister of former
Millions of enslaved Africans died in Caribbean royal nanny Tiggy. Second wife Eliza was the daughter of Navy Commander James Dugdale – a relative of ex-PM David Cameron. His current wife is Norwegian-born Elsebet Bødtker.
Mr Drax has voted against climate change steps, equality legislation and same sex marriage. He opposed tax rises for top earners and a bankers’ levy, but backed lower corporate taxes.
SECRECY
He also supported lower welfare benefits, ending educational financial support for 16 to 19-year-olds and the “bedroom tax” on council tenants.
News of the secrecy surrounding his wealth comes after it emerged the wife of Chancellor Rishi Sunak has shares in a £430million business empire.
MPs who have spelt out details of overseas interests include Labour’s
Lyn Brown, who declared “a half share in a commercial property in Munich”. Ex- Labour MP Shaun Woodward wrote: “I own properties in France, New York State and the West Indies from which rental income is received.”
Parliamentary rules say members must register land which has “a value of more than £100,000; or forms part of a total property portfolio whose value exceeds £ 100,000; and/ or provides rental income of more than £10,000 in a calendar year”.
Entries must include property type, location and when acquired. Mr Drax’s entry states he owns “woodlands, farmland, residential and commercial property, including land used for renewable energy projects in Dorset”.
Steve Goodrich, of Transparency International UK, said: “MPs must follow the letter and spirit of the rules
by giving a full account. It’s far too hard to find out where these assets are and when they were acquired.”
Mr Drax told the Sunday Mirror: “I reject the assertion that I failed to declare any Barbados property holdings once owned by my father, as these are going through the probate process and not yet transferred to my name.
“Once that process is completed, I will of course register it in proper accordance with the rules. I am keenly aware of the slave trade and the role my very distant ancestor played in it is deeply, deeply regrettable.
“But no one today can be held responsible for what happened many hundreds of years ago.
“This is a part of the nation’s history, from which we must all learn.’’