Sunday, November 1, 2026 - Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the United Kingdom's Conservative Party and a former Secretary of State for Business and Trade, has rejected calls for Britain to pay reparations for its historical involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, challenging Caribbean countries demanding compensation to also seek apologies from descendants of African rulers and merchants who participated in the trade.
Badenoch argued that present-day British taxpayers should
not be held financially responsible for injustices committed generations before
they were born, insisting that discussions about slavery should recognise the
involvement of different societies in the historical trade.
The Conservative leader questioned whether Caribbean
governments seeking a formal apology from Britain were prepared to make similar
demands of African kingdoms, rulers and merchants who captured, sold and
profited from enslaved Africans.
“Slavery was an evil in which people from every continent
and region participated. We should be honest about the whole history, not
select the parts that are politically convenient today, especially given
Britain's leading role in ending the transatlantic slave trade,” she said.
She further challenged Caribbean countries to extend their
demands for historical accountability beyond Britain.
“If Caribbean countries are asking Britain for a formal
apology for Britain's role in the transatlantic slave trade, will they also be
asking the same of the descendants of African kingdoms, rulers and merchants
who captured, sold and profited from the trade?” Badenoch asked.
She also opposed proposals for financial compensation and
debt cancellation as forms of reparations, arguing that previous international
debt relief initiatives had failed to provide lasting economic solutions for
beneficiary countries.
Citing the Jubilee 2000, Drop the Debt and Make Poverty
History campaigns, Badenoch said more than $100 billion in debt had been
written off about 25 years ago, but several beneficiary countries had
subsequently accumulated even greater debts.
"More than $100 billion of debt was eventually written
off, but many of those countries have since built up even bigger debts,” she
stated.
Badenoch also criticised Britain's Labour government over
public spending, arguing that the country should not commit additional
resources to international reparations while facing domestic welfare spending
pressures.
“Labour are already spending too much on Britain's welfare
state. Now is not the time for Andy Burnham to be providing global welfare,”
she said.
She insisted that British citizens should not be made to
bear the financial consequences of historical events in which they had no
personal involvement.
“There is no reason British taxpayers today should be held
financially responsible for things that happened generations before any of us
were born,” she declared.
The Conservative leader also criticised political elites in
Commonwealth countries, accusing some of using Britain's colonial and slavery
history to deflect attention from their failure to address present-day economic
challenges.
She argued that governments should concentrate on improving
living standards and creating economic opportunities for their citizens rather
than repeatedly demanding compensation from Britain.
Badenoch further criticised Andy Burnham over his position
on confronting Britain's historical involvement in slavery and the possibility
of issuing another formal apology.
She maintained that Britain's political leadership should
prioritise national interests instead of reopening debates over historical
responsibility.
“As Prime Minister, Andy Burnham should be Britain's
greatest defender. Instead, he is writing articles saying we need to confront
our history and considering another formal historical apology,” she said.
Badenoch cited former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's
expression of sorrow and regret over Britain's involvement in the slave trade
nearly two decades ago, arguing that another apology was unnecessary.
“Tony Blair already expressed Britain's deep sorrow and
regret for our role in the slave trade nearly twenty years ago. There is no
need to do so again,” she stated.
Describing the renewed demands for reparations as a
distraction, Badenoch urged Commonwealth countries to focus on future
cooperation, particularly in trade, economic development and security.
She called for stronger economic partnerships and deeper
military cooperation to address shared threats, arguing that the Commonwealth
should prioritise opportunities that would benefit its member countries.
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