‘UK will not apologise for role in slavery at Commonwealth summit’

The United Kingdom (UK) government will not apologise over Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade at this week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) summit in Samoa, Downing Street has said.

Downing Street said yesterday that the government would not be paying reparations for slavery.

News that neither an apology nor reparations are on the agenda could put Keir Starmer, who will attend the gathering, on a collision course with other nations.

Prime Minister Starmer remains opposed to apologising for the UK’s historical role in slavery, his office insisted.

The prime minister would travel to Samoa this week for the biennial Commonwealth meeting, amid mounting pressure.

The pressure was mounted from the leaders of Caribbean nations to pay reparations for the impact of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Labour lawmakers have also reportedly called for the prime minister to address the calls as he attended the summit on the Pacific island nation.

But the Starmer’s official spokesman insisted he would not be discussing reparations at the gathering. “Reparation’s not on the agenda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.

“The government’s position on this has not changed, we do not pay reparations. The prime minister’s attending this week’s summit to discuss shared challenges and opportunities faced by the Commonwealth including driving growth across our economies,” he said.

Asked again about an apology, the spokesman added: “the position on apology remains the same; we won’t be offering an apology at CHOGM.

“But we would continue to engage with partners on the issues as we work with them to tackle the pressing challenges of today and indeed for the future generations.”

Five Labour backbenchers have urged the Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy to address reparations for slavery and colonialism while they are in Samoa, the Guardian newspaper has reported.

Lammy was recently revealed to have supported the case for such measures to compensate for Britain’s role in the slave trade while he was a backbench Labour MP.

All three candidates vying to become the next secretary-general of the 56-nation Commonwealth have also supported such reparations.

Shirley Botchwey of Ghana, Joshua Setipa of Lesotho and Mamadou Tangara of Gambia are vying to replace the UK’s Patricia Scotland as secretary-general of the association.

This week’s summit would also be attended by King Charles III, the head of the Commonwealth, following his tour in Australia.

Charles was berated by an Australian senator as he visited the country’s capital Canberra.

Lidia Thorpe, who campaigns on First Nations issues, shouted anti-colonial messages as the king made a speech at Parliament House, and declared: “You are not my king”.

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

The two leaders have chosen instead to prioritise the BRICS summit in Russia at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin, where the leaders of Brazil, China.