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A group of students are demanding their university change the name of its halls in a row over slavery.

The Liverpool University students said they were “horrified” their accommodation was named after Liverpool-born former prime minister William Gladstone.

They claim the university should not commemorate the major 19th century Liberal politician as they claim he did not wholeheartedly support the abolition of slavery.

They suggested replacing his name on the Roscoe & Gladstone building, which is currently being demolished to be re-developed, with that of Channel 4 presenter Jon Snow.

A university spokeswoman said no name had yet been chosen for the new building, but other re-developed accommodation has previously kept the same name.

But a Liverpool councillor today called the campaign “tokenistic” and said Britain owed a huge debt to the four-time prime minister.

The campaign was started by three students, Alisha Raithatha, Tinaye Mapako and Tor Smith, after they visited the International Slavery Museum.

More than 50 students have now backed the campaign on the Liverpool Guild of Students’ website.

Student union president Sean Turner said an upcoming meeting would discuss whether to back the campaign next week because of the “volume of student support”.

The campaign page reads: “William Gladstone was a former UK Prime Minister, his politics were funded by his father Sir John Gladstone’s wealth which was built on the back the slave trade.

“William Gladstone is known to have fought for reparations for slave traders like his father during the abolition of the trade, as well as not being in favour of the abolition.

“We believe someone with this controversial background should not have a university hall named after them.”

Alisha Raithatha, 20, from Birmingham, told the ECHO: “I lived in those halls in first year and didn’t realise - I don’t think anybody did.

“I looked it up a bit more and realised William Gladstone wasn’t in favour of abolishing slavery. I was a bit disgusted to live in the building, not realise that history and that it hadn’t changed.

“The building is being knocked down now, and they are re-building it - I assume it will have the same name but it’s a good opportunity to rename it.

“I had a few friends say I was covering up history, but the slavery museum is a great way to remember, rather than commemorating someone so controversial.”

William Gladstone’s dad John owned plantations in British Guyana and Jamaica, and received compensation for losing hundreds of slaves after the abolition of the trade.

One recent study said Gladstone junior did want the slave trade banned, but only if owners were compensated and slaves’ conditions improved first.

Richard Kemp, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Liverpool, said: “There’s a whole series of tokenistic debates going on from people who frankly have little better to do.

“Gladstone is a worthy recipient of honours. He was born on Rodney Street, and was the only person who has been prime minister on four occasions.

“His government laid the basis of the welfare state, widened who could vote and did so many things we take for granted in this country.

“We should be incredibly proud of him. Gladstone was without doubt an abolitionist - precisely what he argued to get it through is not for me to doubt.

“And people make their own decisions, and you shouldn’t blame families because of one individual.

“If I were a student concerned about what Britain had done in Africa, I would look at what I could practically do. They could volunteer, support political parties in Africa, donate to Oxfam - I’ve been helping African mayors this year and they could help with that. But that would involve moving from drafting resolutions to actually doing something.”

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