Slavery Reparations: British Officials Warned Leaders Against Agenda Inclusion

British officials initially argued that slavery reparations should be excluded from the official agenda of the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit in Antigua and Barbuda. Ralph Gonsalves, a former prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines and a senior figure in the Repair Campaign, said the UK was vehement in its opposition.

Gonsalves told The Guardian that British and Canadian officials warned that Prime Minister Andy Burnham would not attend the meeting if the subject was formally included. He stated that British officials circulated a claim that India did not want the issue on the agenda, a statement he described as untruthful.

The Commonwealth summit begins on Sunday in Antigua and Barbuda. The official agenda for the 56-nation bloc includes trade, climate resilience, finance, sustainable debt, democracy, and investment in young people. Slavery reparations are not currently listed as an official priority for the gathering.

Gonsalves noted that India supported a United Nations General Assembly resolution on March 25, 2026. He said the British government spread false information about India’s stance to justify excluding the topic from the formal schedule.

Despite the official agenda, Gonsalves said the issue will likely surface during private retreats where leaders meet. He described the UK as coming to the table of structured dialogue kicking and screaming, but acknowledged that the government is finally participating.

On Friday, Prime Minister Burnham agreed to structured dialogue and to consider an apology, a move he described in an op-ed for The Guardian. This represented a shift from previous British positions. Gonsalves welcomed the decision but noted that the UK arrived at the conversation with reluctance.

Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali welcomed Burnham’s statement and called for a Commonwealth subcommittee to determine the details of the dialogue over the next six to 12 months. Ali said the talks should focus on developmental consequences rather than attempting to place a monetary value on the indignity of slavery.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley thanked Burnham for breaking new ground but stated that the two sides remain divided on reparations. She identified an apology, investment in health and education, tackling systemic poverty, and fairer debt terms as areas where agreement is possible.

King Charles is expected to attend the summit but is not planning to offer a full apology, a position that differs from Burnham’s recent announcement. Protests are scheduled as the monarch and the prime minister travel through St John’s to attend events.

On Sunday, former Prime Minister Kemi Badenoch told broadcasters that an apology for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade would be a navel-gazing distraction. She described slavery as an evil in which people from every continent participated. Gonsalves said he would like to sit down with Badenoch to explain the goals of reparatory justice.