Badenoch Pushes Back Against Calls for UK to Pay Slave Trade Reparations
- 4 hours ago
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Leader of the UK Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has rejected mounting international pressure on Britain to provide financial reparations for its role in the transatlantic slave trade, arguing that the country should not be held liable for historical actions it later worked to end.
Her position follows a resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, which described the transatlantic slave trade and racialised chattel slavery as among the gravest crimes against humanity due to their scale, brutality, and long-term global consequences.
The resolution called on member states to pursue reparatory justice through measures such as formal apologies, restitution, compensation, and other initiatives aimed at addressing the enduring legacy of slavery.
The motion was spearheaded by Ghana, with support from the African Union and Caribbean nations, reflecting a growing coalition advocating redress for historical injustices linked to slavery.
In the vote, 123 countries supported the resolution, while the United States, Israel, and Argentina opposed it. The United Kingdom, alongside more than 50 other countries, abstained, citing legal and diplomatic concerns.
Reacting to the outcome, Badenoch criticised the government led by Keir Starmer for choosing to abstain rather than vote against the resolution, questioning the decision amid what she described as increasing demands for large-scale financial compensation.
She maintained that Britain played a central role in abolishing the slave trade and argued that present-day taxpayers should not be burdened with financial responsibility for historical injustices, particularly when the country continues to address modern forms of slavery.
Although the UN resolution is not legally binding and does not specify financial commitments, it has renewed global debate, with African and Caribbean nations continuing to push for accountability and recognition of the lasting economic and social impact of slavery.
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