PM faces pressure from Labour ranks and Caribbean nations over reparations

Sir Keir Starmer is facing unit from Labour ranks and Caribbean countries to rethink his absorption to reparatory justness for the UK’s historical relation successful the enslaved commercialized arsenic helium attends a large Commonwealth summit.

The Prime Minister volition question to Samoa this week for the biennial gathering of heads of authorities for the 56 nations, wherever leaders volition elite the caller Commonwealth caput general.

All 3 candidates vying for the occupation person called for reparations to countries that were affected by slavery and colonialism, but Downing Street has said the contented is “not connected the agenda” for the lawsuit and “we won’t beryllium offering an apology.”

The Government’s presumption connected this has not changed, we bash not wage reparations

Prime Minister's authoritative spokesman

Labour MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill Bell Ribeiro-Addy said Number 10’s presumption was “disappointing” and likened it to aged “colonial attitudes.”

“The thought that we wouldn’t beryllium addressing it astatine each and conscionable ignoring the question feels incorrect to me, that we would disregard it erstwhile we cognize that truthful galore radical person these concerns – countries we accidental are our equals, but we’re not consenting to sermon thing that truthful galore of them person connected the agenda,” she told the PA quality agency.

“For america to accidental we don’t privation to speech astir it astatine each benignant of harks backmost to assemblage attitudes. I deliberation it’s incorrect for america not to sermon it and I anticipation that that volition change.”

Four different Labour MPs – Clive Lewis (Norwich South), Nadia Whittome (Nottingham East), Marsha de Cordova (Battersea), and erstwhile curate Dawn Butler – person besides urged Sir Keir to alteration tack, the Guardian reported.

The Prime Minister’s authoritative spokesperson earlier insisted helium would not beryllium discussing reparations astatine the Commonwealth Heads of Government gathering (Chogm) this week.

“Reparation’s not connected the docket for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting,” helium said.

“The Government’s presumption connected this has not changed, we bash not wage reparations.

“The Prime Minister’s attending this week’s acme to sermon shared challenges and opportunities faced by the Commonwealth including driving maturation crossed our economies.”

Asked astir the Government’s presumption connected offering an apology for historical wrongs, the spokesperson added: “The presumption connected apology remains the same, we won’t beryllium offering an apology astatine Chogm, but we volition proceed to prosecute with partners connected the issues arsenic we enactment with them to tackle the pressing challenges of contiguous and so for the aboriginal generations.”

Recently resurfaced footage showed Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who volition articulation Sir Keir successful Samoa, supporting the lawsuit for reparatory measures portion helium was a backbench Labour MP successful the aftermath of the Windrush scandal.

All 3 candidates successful the moving to go the adjacent caput wide of the Commonwealth – Shirley Botchwey of Ghana, Joshua Setipa of Lesotho and Mamadou Tangara of Gambia – person besides supported specified measures.

The acme volition besides beryllium attended by the King, the caput of the Commonwealth, pursuing his sojourn to Australia, wherever helium was berated by an Australian legislator who accused him of “genocide” against her nation’s indigenous people.

While a bulk of Commonwealth leaders are expected to be the summit, India’s Narendra Modi and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa volition beryllium noticeably absent.

The 2 leaders person chosen alternatively to prioritise the BRICS acme successful Russia astatine the invitation of president Vladimir Putin, wherever the leaders of Brazil, China and respective different salient processing nations volition besides beryllium present.