UK was ‘vehement’ slavery reparations should not be on Commonwealth summit agenda
British prime minister has now agreed to structured dialogue on reparatory justice but issue remains off formal Chogm agenda British officials initially insisted that discussions of reparations for slavery should not be on the agenda of the Commonwealth leaders’ summit in Antigua and Barbuda – and even warned that Andy Burnham would not attend the meeting if the subject was formally included,…
UK officials vehemently opposed the inclusion of slavery reparations on the agenda of the Commonwealth Leaders' Summit in Antigua and Barbuda, to the point that Prime Minister Andy Burnham threatened not to attend the meeting. The subject remained off the formal agenda, although Britain has now agreed to engage in structured dialogue on reparatory justice.
Caribbean leaders, particularly from St Vincent and the Grenadines, welcomed the British government's decision but criticized it for initially resisting the conversation. The reparations dialogue is not formally on the Chogm agenda, which focuses on trade, climate resilience, finance, sustainable debt, democracy, and investment in young people's opportunities.
However, the issue is now central to the political conversation at the summit due to the relentless campaigning by Caribbean nations and a growing reparations movement worldwide.
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