In the summer of 2020, a string of media investigations exposed severe worker exploitation in the UK’s fast fashion business. It was a national shame, and the revelations led to allegations of modern slavery in one city in particular: Leicester.
Andrew Bridgen, the Conservative MP for North West Leicestershire, branded the city the “Wild West” of slavery. He claimed on LBC, without referencing evidence, that there were “probably 10,000 modern slaves in Leicester”.
One of the brands supplied by Leicester’s warehouses was Boohoo, a fast fashion retailer famous for producing stylish clothes quickly, and for extremely low prices. It tried to contain the damage. Under pressure from civil society and government, it initiated an independent review, and ultimately dropped many of its Leicester-based suppliers.
