<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/23/keir-starmer-slavery-reparations-commonwealth-summit>
"Keir Starmer has insisted he wants to “look forward” rather than have “very
long endless discussions about reparations on the past” in his first comments
on the issue before the Commonwealth summit.
The prime minister is under pressure to discuss reparatory justice with
Commonwealth countries, most of which are former UK colonies, in Samoa this
week.
Speaking to reporters travelling with him for the summit, Starmer said
Commonwealth countries were “facing real challenges on things like climate in
the here and now”.
“That’s where I’m going to put my focus, rather than what will end up being
very, very long, endless discussions about reparations on the past,” he said.
“This is about stance, really, looking forward rather than looking backwards.
“Slavery is abhorrent … there’s no question about that. But I think from my
point of view and taking the approach I’ve just taken, I’d rather roll up my
sleeves and work with them on the current future-facing challenges than spend a
lot of time on the past.”
Caricom, a group of 15 Caribbean countries, has indicated it will push Starmer
and the foreign secretary, David Lammy, on the issue at the Commonwealth heads
of government meeting (Chogm) in Samoa.
In 2018 Lammy, then a backbench Labour MP, called for reparations to be paid to
Caribbean nations. But in government Labour has ruled out apologising over
Britain’s role in transatlantic slavery.
Starmer said the focus of the summit should be “growth and trade” between
Commonwealth countries."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
