UK officials warned PM Andy Burnham to skip Caribbean summit over slavery reparations

British officials argued strongly against placing slavery reparations on 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 leader in the Repair Campaign, said the UK government resisted the topic until the final moments. He described the British approach as arriving at the table 'kicking and screaming.' The summit begins on Sunday and currently lists trade, climate resilience, and sustainable debt as its primary focus. Reparations is not included in the stated priorities for the 56-nation bloc.

Gonsalves told the Guardian that British and Canadian officials raised the possibility that Prime Minister Andy Burnham would not attend the meeting if reparations were formally on the agenda. He claimed the UK also circulated a claim that India did not want the issue addressed. Gonsalves said this was false because India supported a United Nations General Assembly resolution on reparations on March 25, 2026. He stated that the UK was spreading this false information to build a case against including the topic.

The inclusion of reparatory justice in the political conversation stems from a sustained campaign by Caribbean nations and a growing global movement. Gonsalves noted that the issue has moved into the British parliament and the Labour party. He said the topic can no longer be ignored given the recent developments in the UN, Africa, and the Caribbean. The danger of keeping the issue off the formal agenda, according to Gonsalves, is that it will still surface during private retreats where leaders meet without the press.

On Friday, the British prime minister agreed to enter a structured dialogue on reparations and consider an apology. This decision went further than any previous British leader. Burnham announced the shift in an op-ed for the Guardian. While Caribbean governments welcomed the move, they noted that agreeing on the specific forms of reparations remains a priority. The actual structured dialogue is unlikely to occur during the summit itself, but Gonsalves expects the leaders to discuss the format and details in their private sessions.

Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, chair of the Caribbean Community Reparations Commission, called the meeting the Commonwealth summit of reparations. He stated that reparatory justice is the top item for the Caribbean region. Guyana’s president, Irfaan Ali, welcomed Burnham’s statement and proposed a Commonwealth subcommittee to work out the details over the next six to 12 months. Ali said the talks should move beyond pricing the indignity of slavery and focus on developmental consequences such as health, education, and infrastructure.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley thanked Burnham for breaking new ground but clarified that the two sides still hold different views. She said they would state their differences plainly and respectfully. Mottley identified an apology, investment in health and education, and fairer debt terms as areas where agreement is possible. The Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis added that the talks are about the enduring consequences of slavery and the need for meaningful redress, not just historical remembrance.

King Charles is expected to attend the summit but has indicated he will not follow Burnham in offering a full apology. The 45th anniversary of Antigua and Barbuda’s independence falls on the same day as the summit’s start. Protests are planned as the King and the Prime Minister travel through St John’s. Billboards, placards, and a candlelight vigil will mark the occasion, with a clear message calling for an apology and reparations for the thousands of Africans trafficked to the island.

Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the opposition, told broadcasters on Sunday that an apology would be a navel-gazing distraction. She described slavery as an evil in which people from every continent participated. Gonsalves responded that he would like to sit down with Badenoch to explain the concept of reparatory justice. He said he wants to discuss how justice could help heal fractures arising from Britain’s multicultural and ethnic tensions.