Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly considering folding to Commonwealth demands for non-cash reparations in return for Britain’s historic role in the slave trade.
While the Prime Minister continues to reject demands for up to £18 trillion to be sent by Britain to former colonies to atone for the trade in Africans 400 years ago, Sir Keir appeared to hint he could agree a compromise with fellow Commonwealth leaders.
The PM is reportedly considering other ways of atoning for Britain’s role – including another apology, supporting public health initiatives and education programmes.
Speaking from the CHOGM summit in Samoa yesterday, the PM said he “understands the strength of feeling” among other leaders, but remains focussed on tackling the shared problems of the present and the future.
He told the BBC: “Our generation can say the slave trade and the practice was abhorrent and we should talk about our history. We can’t change our history but we should certainly talk about our history.”
He added: “The U.K. believes the most effective way to maintain a spirit of respect and dignity is by working together to make sure the future is not in the shadow of the past, but is illuminated by it.”
On Thursday evening, Reform UK said that David Lammy – who has a history of publicly flirting with the reparations cause – must disavow his previous statements and stand up for Britain.
Reform UK Deputy Leader, Richard Tice MP said: “David Lammy has consistently embarrassed the United Kingdom on the opposition benches and he continues this now in one of the great offices of state.”
“We should not be entertaining talk of reparations and it should never be on the table.”
In 2018, David Lammy accused the Conservative government of ignoring the debts owed to the descendants of slaves across the world.
In one tweet, he said: “In 1833 Parliament passed the Slavery Abolition Act.”
“£17bn of compensation to slave owners for the loss of their property – my ancestors. The slaves received no reparations.
“Some people simply do not know their history or do not want to know hard truths.”
In another tweet he said: “As Caribbean people enslaved, colonised and invited to Britain as citizens, we remember our history.”
“We don’t just want an apology, we want reparations and compensation.”
Earlier this month the chairman of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) called on Mr Lammy to have a free hand to deliver compensation to countries involved in the slave trade.
Sir Hilary Beckles, who heads up the group of 14 countries, pointed out the foreign secretary’s previous support while in opposition, using it as a launching point for his own demands.
Sir Hilary told Reuters: “It is our intention to persist with this strategy of calling for a summit to work through what a reparatory justice model ought to look like in the case of the Caribbean.”
“He [Mr Lammy] has been a supporter of the discourse while he was in opposition. The question is whether he would be given a free hand in his Government to take the matter to a higher level.”
The £18 trillion reparation demand was devised by a paper from the University of the West Indies and backed by judge Patrick Robinson at the International Court of Justice, and takes into account a number of factors including:
- The number of enslaved people who embarked on each destination journey or were born into slavery
- Loss of life and uncompensated labour
- Loss of liberty
- Personal injury
- Mental pain and anguish
- Gender based violence