No slave trade reparations, minister says, amid warning UK is ‘resented’ abroad

The UK will not pay reparations to nations affected by the transatlantic slave trade, a Foreign Office minister has said, after an MP warned the UK is “deeply resented” for its historical role.Anneliese Dodds at the despatch box vowed to work with Caribbean governments on “the most pressuring challenges of today and the future, including security, growth and climate change”.But the minister said the UK Government has a “clear” policy not to pay reparations.Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy had asked whether Foreign Secretary David Lammy had spoken with his international counterparts about “reparations to people impacted by historic slavery”.Ms Dodds said in her response: “The slave trade was abhorrent.“We recognise its horrific impacts and the ongoing strength of feeling, but there have been no such discussions.”She added: “We will not be making cash transfers and payments to the Caribbean.“We are focused on working with our Caribbean partners to tackle the most pressuring challenges of today and the future, including security, growth and climate change.”Ms Ribeiro-Addy pointed to international organisations which have discussed the issue of reparations, including the 55-member African Union which this month launched its 2025 theme “Justice For Africans And People Of African Descent Through Reparations”.She added the Caricom...