Conservative Party leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick has called for statues to be built of those who helped end the slave trade in Britain.
His comments come as a number of nations in the Caribbean call on the British Government to make concessions on reparations.
Speaking to GB News, Mr Jenrick said efforts to stop slavery in the 19th century were “opposed by many African kings”.
He added that it is “high time” that a memorial is erected to honour the Royal Navy sailors who lost their lives trying to end the slave trade.
Demands for reparations have been made for years as countries who were once under British rule seek compensation for the oppression they suffered.
Britain played a part in the slave trade for three centuries before eventually abolishing the trade in 1807 and enslaved labour in the colonies from 1833.
While the slave trade was ended, British slave owners received a total of £20million (£16bn in today’s money) in compensation, equivalent to £16billion today.
Both Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and King Charles are in Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting this week, where some heads of state will make renewed calls for reparations.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy, the Labour MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill, supports reparations but says there are also other ways that countries affected by slavery can be helped.
She said that “there’s no amount of money that could fully recompense for the horrors of enslavement and colonialism.”
Some have said as much as £18trillion should be paid.
Mr Jenrick previously said Sir Keir has “lost the plot” over the issue.
This came amid reports Sir Keir had initially said reparations would not be spoken about at the Commonwealth summit, but may now accept “references” slavery reparations.
It has also been reported that Sir Keir is sticking to his policy of not offering financial reparations but is considering non-cash options such as providing debt relief.
He told the BBC on Thursday: “An apology has already been made in relation to the slave trade, and that’s not surprising.
“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.”
