Keir Starmer rules out slavery reparations ahead of Commonwealth summit

14 October 2024, 15:24

The Prime Minister has slapped down suggestions that Britain should pay reparations to Caribbean nations for its role in the Atlantic slave trade.

Reparations are “not on the agenda”, Downing Street said on Monday ahead of a major Commonwealth summit later this month.

Asked what the Prime Minister's view on paying reparations is, his official spokesman said on Monday: “Just to be clear, reparations are not on the agenda for the Commonwealth heads of government meeting.

“Technically, the Government's position on this has not changed. We do not pay reparations.

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“The Prime Minister is attending the summit to discuss the shared challenges and opportunities faced by the Commonwealth, including driving growth across our economies.”

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The three candidates vying to be named the next secretary-general of the 56-nation Commonwealth have signalled support for reparations.

The leadership vote between Shirley Botchwey of Ghana, Joshua Setipa of Lesotho and Mamadou Tangara of Gambia will take place at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (Chogm) from October 21.

Questions surrounding Britain’s role in the slave trade, which saw more than 15 million people trafficked over the course of 400 years, resurfaced after footage emerged of Foreign Secretary David Lammy calling for the country to pay reparations.

"I'm afraid as Caribbean people we are not going to forget our history - we don't just want to hear an apology, we want reparation," Mr Lammy can be heard saying in the clip from 2018.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle defended his Cabinet colleague against questions about the apparent inconsistency of his remarks, telling LBC: "That was David Lammy long before he became Foreign Secretary.

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"Now he speaks on behalf of the Labour Government and this is a new Labour Government."

"We are focused on the future and when we move forward as a country we are thinking globally as well."

Labour's policy is in line with the previous Conservative government, who vehemently rejected calls for Britain to pay for its role in slavery.