PM tight-lipped about UK financial contributions amid reparations debate

Andy Burnham refused to be drawn on whether the UK could make further financial contributions stopping short of direct reparations to Commonwealth countries for its role in the slave trade.

The Prime Minister said the UK would pursue a “new approach” to the group of nations headed by the King as some member states had argued “there wasn’t a sufficient dialogue” from previous British governments about the issue.

Speaking to reporters at the Commonwealth leaders’ summit in Antigua, Mr Burnham declined to say whether this change in position could involve additional taxpayer money.

Asked whether he could guarantee that not a single extra penny would go to any member state, the Prime Minister told reporters: “I’ve been very clear that we do not support reparations, and I made that quite abundantly clear in the piece that I wrote in advance of coming here.

“But it’s not the case that we don’t support countries in the Commonwealth around development and helping them with debt issues that they’ve got, green finance. That’s what we’ve done under all governments, and in my view, we should continue to do as part of being a Commonwealth.”

Pressed on whether this could mean additional financial contributions from the taxpayer, he said: “Well, you’re getting ahead. What we need to have is that meaningful dialogue where we take time to listen, and let’s be clear: the Commonwealth is an important part of our trade too.

“It’s a two-way arrangement. You know, trade is up between the UK and the rest of the Commonwealth in the last year quite significantly, actually. So you need to see it in that way as well. It benefits Britain to be here, listening to people, building that new partnership, and that’s good for growth in Britain.”

The Prime Minister has ruled out offering reparations for the harm caused by the transatlantic slave trade but has used the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) to set out plans for a “debt reset” aimed at helping poorer countries struggling with repayments.

He is arguing that work to support member states amid rising global interest rate costs must include non-G7 donors and the private sector, and the UK will also allocate £40 million over three years from within existing budgets to speed up critical infrastructure investment including green energy in the Caribbean.

Mr Burnham also offered talks on the prospect of a formal apology on behalf of Britain for its role in the trade, prompting questions about whether he was leaving the door open to reparations “by the back door”.

St Lucia’s Prime Minister Philip J Pierre, chairman of the 15-member Caribbean Community (Caricom), has reportedly said the economic and political bloc was “ready to engage” in the “structured dialogue” Mr Burnham had proposed.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham speaks to the media on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Kin Cheung/PA)

PA Wire

The Prime Minister said the UK wanted to “work closely with you to make sure we get that right” as he met the President of Ghana for one-to-one talks on the sidelines of the summit later on Tuesday.

Exchanging warm words at the top of the meeting, John Dramani Mahama in turn said Britain had shown a “shift in some very strong positions” and is now “more open to interacting with the rest of the world” and the Commonwealth.

After the last Chogm in 2024, when Downing Street was resistant to any discussions about reparations, the Ghanaian leader said the new Prime Minister’s approach “creates a first step for us to continue to work to see how we can put this whole issue of transatlantic slave trade and colonialism behind us”.