Historian and Former Honorary Fellow David Starkey apologises for slavery comments

‘I apologise unreservedly for the offence it caused’


Historian and former Honorary Fellow of Fitzwilliam College has issued an apology statement today following his comments in an interview on YouTube.

According to the Mirror, who reported on the statement, Starkey said: “It was a bad mistake. I am very sorry for it and I apologise unreservedly for the offence it caused.”

The comments that caused such a backlash that resulted in Starkey losing his Honorary Fellowship at Cambridge, as well as losing other academic positions at universities such as Canterbury, were made during an interview on YouTube channel Reasoned UK. He said: “Slavery was not genocide otherwise there wouldn’t be so many damn blacks in Africa or in Britain, would there?”

He went on to say: “I have also paid a heavy price for one offensive word with the loss of every distinction and honour acquired in a long career.”