Rishi Sunak rejects UK calls for reparations for slavery

Bell Ribeiro-Eddy, Streatham's Labor MP, asked the Prime Minister for a «full and meaningful apology». Photo: UNPIXS

Rishi Sunak refused to apologize for the history of slavery and colonialism in the UK, and also rejected a call for reparations when it was challenged in the House of Commons.

The Prime Minister said that he is committed to ensuring the UK is an «inclusive and tolerant» society, and he said that trying to «deal with our history is the wrong way forward.»

But he refused to join the Labor MP's demand for a «full and meaningful apology» to people of African descent for Britain's colonial and slave-owning past.

Activists demand that Britain pay compensation to countries affected by the slave trade or colonialism.

In the Prime Minister's Questions, Belle Ribiero-Eddy, MP for Streatham, described the slave trade as «one of the greatest atrocities in the history of mankind.»

She reminded Mr Sunak that the late Labor MP Bernie Grant founded the reparations movement in the UK and that «in his last questions to the prime minister before he died, he asked for an apology to people of African descent, living and dead.» for our country's role in slavery and colonialism.»

«Since then, prime ministers and heads of state have only expressed regret or deep regret,» she said. “These are not the feelings that befit one of the greatest atrocities in the history of mankind.

“Neither accumulated wealth was acknowledged, nor the fact that our country took out the largest loan it ever had to pay slave owners, not enslaved ones.”

Ms. Ribiero-Addy asked: “Will he do what Bernie Grant asked all those years ago, what I asked for and what countless others have since asked for, and will he make a full and meaningful apology for the role of our country? slavery and colonialism and seek redress?"

Mr. Sunak said: "No. I think what we need to focus on now is understanding our history and all of its parts, not running away from it, but making sure right now that we have a society that is inclusive and tolerant of people of all backgrounds.

"That's what we on this side of the House are committed to and will continue to do, but trying to uncover our history is the wrong way forward and that'is not what we're going to focus on our efforts"

Nor Labor policy

The Labor spokesman said Ms Ribeiro-Addi's call for redress was not party policy.

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A spokeswoman said «she's right in highlighting the horrific history of the slave trade.» but «on the specific issue of reparations, what she was saying is not the policy of the Labor Party.»

Earlier this week, The Guardian reported that a group called «Heirs of the Slave Traders» descended from some prominent British slave owners launched a campaign to seek «apology, dialogue, reconciliation and redress.» and «to support campaigns for institutional and national reparative justice.» for the transatlantic slave trade.

Tony Blair, when he was prime minister and was constantly challenged whether he was ready to apologize for the slave trade, said: "I said we are sorry and I repeat it again.”

Mr. Blair spoke in 2007 as the government was preparing to mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade.

Visiting Barbados in November 2021, King Charles III and then Prince Charles, spoke of «the horrifying atrocity of slavery that has forever tarnished our history.»