Sir Lenny Henry has called for all black British people to receive slavery reparations at the taxpayer's expense.

In a book co-written by the comedian titled The Big Payback, the UK is urged to pay £18trillion in compensation - not only to Caribbean nations, but also to British citizens.

In an excerpt from the book, Sir Lenny wrote that "all black British people... need reparations for slavery", adding: "We personally deserve money for the effects of slavery."

The book, co-authored by TV executive and diversity charity boss Marcus Ryder, explains the arguments and historical precedent for the handouts.

The majority of Britain's 2.4 million-strong black population is of direct African descent, rather than being descendants of slaves in the Caribbean.

Though this is not directly referenced in the book, it is argued that all black people suffer the effects of modern racism, which was brought about by the slave trade.

As a result, the book determines that all black people deserve compensation.

Sir Lenny argues that "the reason we have racism today and also... why black British people are grossly over-represented in the prison population", as well as other social disparities such as unemployment levels being higher among the black population, are "all because of the transatlantic slave trade".

Sir Lenny Henry has demanded that all black British people should receive slavery reparations

The book, which is set to be published by Faber on October 9, argues that it is fair for the UK to pay trillions in reparations - which can and should be used for "ridding the world of racism".

It insists that reparations must "dismantle the foundations" of Western societies which are built on slavery and racism, and instead build "new foundations".

This is possible through the "redistribution" of power, and "changing how power is shared within countries and between countries".

Figures in the book come from the Brattle Report, a "report on reparations for Transatlantic chattel slavery in the Americas and the Caribbean" by consultancy firm the Brattle Group.

Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy - who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Afrikan Reparations - also contributes to the book

A total amount of $100trillion (nearly £74.5trillion) was drummed up by putting price tags on the "loss of liberty" and "mental anguish" as well as loss of potential wages suffered by slaves.

The book also includes words from Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Afrikan Reparations.

Elsewhere, Kehinde Andrews, Britain's first "black studies" professor who has claimed Winston Churchill was the "perfect embodiment of white supremacy", that "the British Empire was far worse than the Nazis", and that St George's Cross is "racist", contributes to the tome.

The book's release coincides with a growing attempt to push European countries to pay for reparations.

At the beginning of September, Africa's EU equivalent joined a campaign which demanded British taxpayers to pay reparations for the country's so-called "historic crimes".

The African Union called for "meaningful reparations" from "former colonial powers" to make up for the exploitation of its people and land during the 1800s.

However, demands for reparations have been consistently rejected by British Prime Ministers, including Sir Keir Starmer.