Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch has strongly pushed back against suggestions that the United Kingdom should issue a formal apology for its historical role in the transatlantic slave trade, asserting that the country has “had enough of apologising” and must instead look to the future.
Speaking during an interview on Sky News, the Opposition Leader warned that an apology would serve as “a lever to wedge open the door to ask for cash” through financial reparations.
Badenoch argued that revisiting historical apologies risks projecting weakness and distracting from pressing modern global challenges, such as conflict in the Middle East and modern slavery.
“Tony Blair said sorry about 20, 25 years ago… I think that that should suffice,” Badenoch stated, emphasizing that Britain should not be paying money to compensate for a trade that took place centuries ago.
She urged British political leadership to act as staunch defenders of the country rather than “chief apologizers,” arguing that the Commonwealth should focus on economic partnerships, security cooperation, and shared interests.
While acknowledging the historical horrors of the era, Badenoch maintained that the British Empire was overall a “force for good” and that the nation’s prosperity was built on free markets, rule of law, and Enlightenment values rather than solely on colonial exploitation.
The debate over Britain’s historical record has surfaced repeatedly around the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). While some political figures have signaled an openness to discuss historical reckoning, official Downing Street policy has maintained a firm stance against financial compensation.
Current and former UK Prime Ministers, including Keir Starmer during his tenure, have repeatedly ruled out paying reparations for the slave trade or placing financial redress on summit agendas.
Downing Street has consistently stated that the UK government will not pay reparations, arguing that present-day Britons cannot be held liable for historical atrocities, and that international partnerships should instead remain focused on current and future economic challenges.
