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Sir Keir Starmer has dismissed calls for reparations for historic slavery ahead of the annual Commonwealth summit, saying he would rather focus on contemporary challenges to member nations such as climate change.
The prime minister, speaking to journalists on the flight to Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Samoa on Wednesday, said he did not want to endure “very very long endless discussions about reparations on the past” and instead wished to look to the future.
Joshua Setipa, former trade minister for Lesotho and one of the leading contenders to be the new Commonwealth secretary-general, told the Financial Times this week that “the timing is right to begin a discussion on reparatory justice”.
Setipa said the question of reparations had “gained traction and global attention” and that the Commonwealth meeting was the best forum to make a “political commitment” to address it.
A group of 15 Caribbean governments has been hoping to raise the topic at the gathering, which takes place from October 21-26.
But Starmer said he would rather “roll up my sleeves” and work with Commonwealth members on “current future-facing challenges” such as climate change rather than spending a lot of time on the past.
“That’s my focus. I have to say at UNGA [United Nations General Assembly] when I was meeting with Commonwealth countries that was the thing that was among their concerns most,” he said.
“Whether it’s the Caribbean or the Pacific islands, climate is a very real problem right now.”
“On the question of which way we’re facing, I think we should be facing forward,” Starmer noted. “I’ve talked to a lot of our Commonwealth colleagues in the Commonwealth family and they’re facing real challenges on things like climate in the here and now.”
He noted that Commonwealth members had expressed they were most interested in support with, for example, working with international bodies, financial institutions and other immediate concerns.
Starmer will also face questions over the British government’s plans to cut its aid budget as a result of the rising cost of dealing with asylum seekers at home.
Political leaders of India, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have all chosen to attend the Brics summit in Moscow instead of the Commonwealth meeting. Meanwhile, Canada is sending neither its prime minister nor foreign minister to Samoa.
But Starmer insisted the Commonwealth, which was born from the ashes of the British empire, was still “really important”.
“It’s an incredible opportunity, I think there’s 55 countries that are represented there, quite a significant number of that at leader level. So it’s a very important meeting,” he said.
He added that he would be focusing on growth and trade, and the advantage that we have with our Commonwealth counterparts in these areas. “I’m very pleased to be going,” he said.
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