There is mounting pressure on the United Kingdom for slavery reparations.
The Case for British Reparations
In recent weeks, Caribbean and African nations, British MPs, and activists intensified their calls on the British government to pay reparations for Britain’s historical role in slavery, colonialism, or even climate change.
Leading up to last week’s meeting, other Commonwealth countries again raised reparatory justice. The concept refers to addressing historical injustices by providing acknowledgement and redress.
Proponents argue that some form of reparation is needed, because historical injustices still affect today’s social and economic conditions.
In its most radical form, slavery reparations focus on financial compensation, like flatout payments or debt cancellation.
Critics of reparations have argued that this is little more than a scam – aimed at guilting the United Kingdom into paying money to foreign countries. And they pointed to the historic role of the UK in outlawing slavery, buying the freedom of slaves for an amount that was so significant it wasn’t actually paid back until 2015.
Last year, International Court of Justice judge Patrick Robinson suggested in a study that the British government should pay over 21 trillion euros in reparations for its historical involvement in slavery to 31 countries. Notably about 10 trillion should go to Jamaica, the country where Mr. Robinson is from. He also called the amount an underestimation of the damage caused by slave trade.
Regardless, the UK’s former Caribbean colonies in particular pushed for reparations to be discussed at the summit. Fifteen of them have issued a ten point plan, calling for among others formal apology and debt cancellation.
The UK’s Reparations Refusal
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer refused to address the topic however, saying that it was not on the agenda and that he wanted to focus on future issues instead of having “very long, endless discussions about reparations on the past”. He also ruled out slavery reparations, in line with previous Conservative governments.
The UK’s Foreign Secretary however has in his past role as MP supported at least considering reparations repeatedly.
Starmer’s refusal sparked criticism from some Members of Parliament of his own Labour party, who called Starmer’s refusal ‘insulting’ and stemming from a ‘colonial mindset’. And Caribbean officials have made clear that they wouldn’t back down on the issue.
’The British government has recently stated it was open to discuss non-financial forms of reparations. It’s uncertain whether UK decides to move forward. If it does, it might set a precedent for other European countries’
In recent years, the governments of Belgium and the Netherlands have apologised for their colonial involvement in Congo and Indonesia respectively. At the Commonwealth meeting British King Charles acknowledged “painful aspects” of Britain’s past but fell short of a formal apology.