UK MP: Britain needs to face up to its imperial past

Britain needs to come to terms with the "problematic and difficult" aspects of the history of its empire if it is going to have a positive relationship with African countries, British opposition MP David Lammy has said.

Mr Lammy made the comments to an inquiry by the upper house of the UK's parliament into the country's relationship with sub-Saharan Africa.

"Britain has been a country that has been less comfortable with aspects of its modern history that are really quite problematic and difficult," Mr Lammy told members of the House of Lords.

"it's very difficult to have positive constructive conversations in the continent of Africa if you haven't reconciled yourself to that story."

The MP said that British schoolchildren do not learn about the history of colonialism, which he sees as a result of a "white supremacist point of view" that allowed Europeans to colonise Africa.

"Britain tended to see itself as the civiliser in the continent of Africa and indeed polling suggests that 44% of the UK public feel pride rather than regret in their sense of empire," he said.

"There is a powerful sense that we were in charge across the world," he added saying that Britian must reconcile itself with its past.

The House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee, which is looking into how the UK can support the African Union, will be hearing evidence from various witnesses in the coming months.