'Time has come' for reparations dialogue, Commonwealth heads agree

Commonwealth leaders person agreed the "time has come" for a speech astir reparations for the enslaved trade, contempt the UK's tendency to support the taxable disconnected the docket astatine a two-day acme successful Samoa.

A papers signed by 56 heads of government, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, acknowledges calls for "discussions connected reparatory justice" for the "abhorrent" transatlantic enslaved trade.

The connection says it is clip for a "meaningful, truthful and respectful conversation".

Sir Keir said determination had been nary discussions astir wealth astatine the meeting, and that the UK is "very clear" successful its presumption that it would not wage reparations.

The UK has faced increasing calls from Commonwealth leaders to apologise and wage reparations for the country’s humanities relation successful the enslaved trade.

Reparations for the payment of those who suffered arsenic a effect of slavery could instrumentality galore forms, from fiscal to symbolic.

Ahead of the summit, Downing Street had insisted the contented would not beryllium connected the agenda.

Speaking astatine a property league connected Saturday, Sir Keir said Commonwealth leaders had a "positive 2 days" successful Samoa and downplayed the prominence of reparations astatine the summit.

"The ascendant taxable of the 2 days has been resilience and climate," helium said, adding that the conception of the associated connection discussing reparations amounts to "one paragraph successful 20-something paragraphs".

"None of the discussions person been astir money. Our presumption is very, precise wide successful narration to that," helium said.

Last week, Chancellor Rachel Reeves told the BBC: "We're not going to beryllium paying retired the reparations that immoderate countries are speaking about."

However, the premier curate did look to permission the doorway unfastened for further discussions astir immoderate signifier of reparatory justice, saying the "next accidental to look astatine this" would beryllium astatine the UK-Caribbean forum successful 2025.