Kemi Badenoch Rejects Slave Trade Apology, Dismissing Accountability as a Distraction
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Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, has argued that apologizing for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade would only deflect from the deeper legacy of exploitation and could open the door to renewed demands for reparations.
Kemi Badenoch has come out against issuing an apology for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade, branding such a gesture a "navel-gazing distraction" that would sidestep real moral reckoning. She stressed that slavery was sustained through the participation of multiple regions and powers, and she cast doubt on whether future leaders should even attend the Commonwealth summit, which she says is increasingly being shaped by demands for reparations rather than meaningful justice.
Her comments were made as Andy Burnham weighs up the possibility of a formal apology ahead of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Antigua and Barbuda. Burnham has said he would not back financial reparations, though he is willing to support poorer nations by helping them restructure their debt.
Badenoch insisted that history should be understood in full, arguing that if Caribbean nations want an apology from Britain, they should also confront the role of African kingdoms and merchants in the slave trade. She invoked remarks made by Tony Blair two decades ago, saying the Commonwealth ought to concentrate on future cooperation instead of endlessly avoiding the unresolved pain of the past.
In an interview, Badenoch warned that any apology could be treated as a stepping stone toward financial compensation, saying, "What I’m worried about is that this Chogm summit is yet another opportunity for people to start asking Britain for money because of the slave trade."
Chancellor John Healey echoed similar arguments, opposing reparations for today’s British public, whom he said bore no responsibility for the crimes of history. He added that while Donald J. Trump is open to discussing an apology, he does not think reparations are appropriate.