Prime Minister Keir Starmer may be poised to soften his stance on slavery reparations as pressure mounts at the Commonwealth summit, with some nations calling for staggering payments of up to £18 trillion.
Although Starmer has publicly rejected the idea of financial reparations, insiders reveal he is now considering non-cash options, including debt relief, health initiatives, and educational support for Commonwealth countries.
Arriving in Samoa this week for the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) meeting, Starmer faced immediate pressure to address reparations, with Caribbean nations pushing to include a reference to the issue in the summit’s final communiqué—much to the displeasure of Downing Street. Yet in response to the diplomatic row, Downing Street is reportedly exploring alternative forms of reparations, including the possibility of a formal apology and support for public health and education programmes.
Such a move could, however, open the door to further demands down the line. Diplomatic sources caution that any acceptance of reparations, even symbolic, might be seen as the UK acknowledging historical wrongdoing—a principle that could pave the way for financial demands in the future.
The push for reparations has been growing, with a report from the University of West Indies, endorsed by International Court of Justice judge Patrick Robinson, arguing that the UK owes £18 trillion to 14 Caribbean nations for its role in the transatlantic slave trade.
This staggering figure is nearly seven times the size of the UK’s entire economy, raising serious concerns over what might be next in this escalating reparations debate.
Read in full in the Telegraph here.
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