Caribbean countries want issue of UK’s role in transatlantic slave trade to be discussed at summit of Commonwealth leaders

Keir Starmer meets the Samoan leader, Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, at a reception and state banquet at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Samoa. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/Reuters

Keir Starmer is open to discussing non-cash forms of reparatory justice for Britain’s former colonies, the Guardian understands.

The prime minister is under pressure to open the door to reparations at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (Chogm) in Samoa this week.

Caribbean countries have been pushing for the issue to be discussed at the summit, despite resistance from the UK.

No 10 has ruled out paying reparations or apologising for the UK’s role in the transatlantic slave trade, and this uncompromising tone has irritated some Commonwealth countries. But a Downing Street source indicated that the UK could support some forms of reparatory justice, such restructuring financial institutions and providing debt relief.

“There is a general sense that these multilateral institutions give out loans to developing countries then charge large interest rates for repayments,” the source said.

The source added that reforming financial situations was something the UK often took a lead on and that it was a form of reparatory justice that would not come at a cost to UK taxpayers.

Other proposed forms of restorative justice include making a formal apology, running educational programmes, establishing cultural institutions and providing economic and public health support.

A draft of the Chogm communique leaked to the BBC said that governments, “noting calls for discussions on reparatory justice with regard to the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans and chattel enslavement … agreed that the time has come for a meaningful, truthful and respectful conversation towards forging a common future based on equity.”

According to the broadcaster, the communique sought to broaden the issue to include the slave trade not just across the Atlantic but in the Pacific, by saying that a majority of Commonwealth countries “share common historical experiences”.

It mentioned the practice of “blackbirding”, where Pacific islanders were kidnapped and brought to Australia where they were sold as enslaved people or cheap labour to work on plantations in Queensland. In 2021, Jack Dempsey, the then mayor of Bundaberg in Queensland, issued a formal apology for blackbirding.

Asked about reparations ahead of the Chogm summit, Pat Conroy, Australia’s minister for the Indo-Pacific, said: “I don’t want to get into the UK-particular focus, but what I can say is from an Australian point of view, on things like blackbirding, it’s really important to be conscious of the past, learn from it and not be afraid of discussing it.”

No 10 has ruled out making a formal apology for slavery and colonialism at Chogm.

Asked about Commonwealth countries’ calls for reparations, Starmer told reporters travelling with him to Samoa: “What they are most interested in is, can we help them working with, for example, international financial institutions on the sorts of packages they need right now in relation to the challenges they’re facing.”

Starmer said: “That’s where I’m going to put my focus – rather than what will end up being very, very long, endless discussions about reparations on the past.”

The Downing Street source said they were relaxed about the communique mentioning reparations. “It’s written by consensus and some language along these lines on reparations is what we were expecting. Our position hasn’t changed,” the source said.

They added that reparations were not a priority for all 56 Commonwealth countries and that issues such as the climate crisis and the oceans remained top of the agenda. The text could change by the time the summit concludes this weekend.

All three candidates standing to be the next secretary general of the Commonwealth have made clear they support reparatory justice. The winning candidate will be voted on behind closed doors at the summit on Saturday.