Keir Starmer rejects calls for slavery reparation talks

Getty Images Sir Keir Starmer has said he wants to focus on the future of the Commonwealth, after ruling out compensation for the UK’s historical role in the slave trade. All three candidates to become the next head of the 56-nation organisation have called for reparations for countries that were affected by slavery. A group of Caribbean nations has indicated it will push for the issue to be discussed at a summit of the bloc’s leaders in Samoa this week. But the UK prime minister said he wanted to address “current future-facing challenges” rather than “spend a lot of time on the past”. Sir Keir’s government has ruled out making slavery reparations, continuing a longstanding British stance on the subject. Downing Street has also said Sir Keir will not be apologising for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade, and reparations will not be on the summit agenda. Speaking to reporters on his way to Samoa, the Labour leader said there was “no question” that slavery was “abhorrent”. But he added that he wanted to focus on the challenges that Commonwealth countries were “facing right now” rather than what “will end up being very, very long endless discussions about reparations...