The issue of reparations for countries that were affected by slavery has been a topic of discussion among candidates to become the next head of the 56-nation Commonwealth organization. However, Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the United Kingdom’s Labour Party, has ruled out compensation for the UK’s historical role in the slave trade. Downing Street has also stated that Sir Keir will not apologize for Britain’s participation in the transatlantic slave trade, and reparations will not be on the summit agenda.
Speaking on his way to Samoa, where the summit is being held, Sir Keir stated that he wanted to focus on the “challenges that Commonwealth countries were facing right now” instead of “going back in history.” He suggested that Commonwealth countries were more interested in discussing climate finance instead of reparations. He also emphasized that slavery was “abhorrent” and that the UK played a key role in ending the practice through the law to abolish slavery in 1833.
Reparations are broadly recognized as compensation for something that was deemed wrong or unfair, and can take many forms. Caribbean leaders have argued for some financial recognition of the legacy of slavery. Estimates for compensation from campaigners and academics have ranged from £205 billion to nearly £19 trillion. Caricom, an association of 15 Caribbean countries, has a dedicated reparations commission to make the case for “reparatory justice” to the region.
In the run-up to this week’s summit, five MPs from Sir Keir’s Labour Party have been pressing for the issue of slavery reparations to be discussed. One of them, Clapham and Brixton Hill MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy, has said it would be “wrong” not to approach the issue at the summit. However, the UK prime minister said he wanted to address “current future-facing challenges” rather than “spend a lot of time on the past.” Ultimately, it appears that reparations will not be a focus of the discussion at the summit, with attention instead being placed on present and future concerns facing the Commonwealth
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
