The Conservative leader says Britain has acknowledged its past, questioning why African kingdoms and merchants should not also face demands for accountability.

Kemi Badenoch, leader of Britain’s Conservative Party, has rejected calls for a fresh formal apology over the country’s role in the transatlantic slave trade, arguing that African kingdoms, rulers and merchants also participated in capturing, selling and profiting from enslaved people.

Badenoch made her position known in a statement posted on X on Saturday, November 1, following British Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s indication that he was open to calls for a formal apology on behalf of the country.

Burnham had addressed the issue in an opinion article published in The Guardian on Friday, October 30, describing the transatlantic slave trade as a “brutal and barbaric violation” of the people subjected to it.

He expressed sorrow and regret for the suffering of millions of enslaved Africans and said his government was prepared to hold structured discussions with countries and campaign groups affected by the trade.

Responding to the proposal, Badenoch said the history of slavery should be acknowledged in its entirety rather than through what she described as politically convenient interpretations.

“Slavery was an evil in which people from every continent and region participated,” she said.

She questioned whether Caribbean countries seeking a formal apology from Britain would also demand similar apologies from descendants of African kingdoms, rulers and merchants who captured and sold enslaved people.

“If Caribbean countries are asking Britain for a formal apology for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade, will they also be asking the same of the descendants of African kingdoms, rulers and merchants who captured, sold and profited from the trade?” she asked.

Badenoch rejects reparations and debt relief demands

The Conservative leader also opposed financial reparations, including cash payments and debt relief, arguing that present-day British taxpayers should not be held financially responsible for historical events that occurred generations ago.

“On demands for reparations, whether through cash or debt relief, we have been down this track before,” she said.

Badenoch referred to campaigns such as Jubilee 2000, Drop the Debt and Make Poverty History, which pushed for debt cancellation for poorer countries about 25 years ago.

She claimed the campaigns resulted in more than $100 billion in debt being written off, but argued that several of the countries involved had since accumulated even larger debts.

She also criticised what she described as excessive spending on Britain’s welfare system, saying the government should not take on additional financial responsibilities towards other countries.

“There is no reason British taxpayers today should be held financially responsible for things that happened generations before any of us were born,” she said.

Badenoch further accused political leaders in Commonwealth countries of using Britain’s historical involvement in slavery to deflect attention from their domestic economic challenges.

She described the renewed discussion as “another navel-gazing distraction” and called on Commonwealth countries to prioritise economic partnerships and security cooperation.

Burnham’s proposal reopens Britain’s slavery debate

Burnham’s intervention has renewed discussions about Britain’s historical responsibility for the transatlantic slave trade ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda.

In his article, he said Britain was prepared to listen to calls for a formal apology and engage affected countries and campaign groups through structured dialogue.

However, he rejected financial reparations, arguing that people living in Britain today should not be held liable for historical wrongs in which they had no personal involvement.

He instead proposed a new initiative to help poorer Commonwealth countries restructure their debts through longer repayment periods and more favourable interest rates.

The proposal has received a cautious welcome from Caribbean leaders, who have maintained that an apology and financial reparatory justice remain important parts of addressing slavery’s legacy.

The Caribbean Community, in a statement on October 31, welcomed Burnham’s expression of regret and openness to dialogue, describing his position as a significant development after years of calls for engagement. However, it maintained its broader demand for reparatory justice.

The debate also brings renewed attention to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s 2006 statement expressing “deep sorrow” for Britain’s role in the slave trade. Blair acknowledged the country’s involvement but stopped short of issuing a formal apology.

Britain passed legislation abolishing its participation in the transatlantic slave trade in 1807, while slavery in its colonies continued until the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833, which came into effect in 1834.

The renewed debate is expected to feature prominently at the Commonwealth summit, where Caribbean countries are seeking greater recognition of the historical and continuing consequences of slavery.