The prime minister flew into a diplomatic storm with Caribbean leaders over the issue at a summit in Samoa – and drew condemnation from his own MPs back in Britain.
Commonwealth leaders are preparing to defy the UK and agree to examine plans for “reparative justice”, which could leave the UK owing billions of pounds in reparations.
Sir Keir had urged the group to look to the future at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm), which begins on today.
But Labour grandee Harriet Harman warned that strategy would fail. “[Starmer] needs to be in this conversation rather than be ruling it out,” she said.
As a series of Labour MPs called on the government to discuss reparations, chancellor Rachel Reeves was asked on a trip to Washington if Britain could afford to pay them. She replied: “No”.
Sir Keir is expected to be pressed on the issue personally while in Samoa, after the prime minister of the Bahamas Philip Davis said he wanted a “frank talk” with the PM on the issue, while Fred Mitchell, his country’s foreign affairs minister, said it was “only a matter of time” before the Labour leader changed his position.
Whitehall sources admit a “reference” to the issue could be forced into the official summit communique at the end of the meeting.
Bu hikaye The Independent dergisinin October 25, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Independent dergisinin October 25, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Tackling the darker side of England's finest moment
It should have been a night of celebration. As they gathered together at the Dorchester Hotel, Sir Clive Woodward's heroes of 2003 were meant to commemorate a World Cup triumph that still represents the acme of English men’s rugby. But, as Matt Dawson explains, there was a strange atmosphere in the room. As he caught up with his colleagues two decades on from reaching the mountaintop, what became clear was just how many were struggling on the other side.
New generation gather pace amid England inconsistency
Are England good? Consistently inconsistent across the whole of 2024, it is anyone's guess where England's true mean lies. But in a year where they have waved goodbye to Stuart Broad, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow and James Anderson, a new generation has officially emerged.
Ashes to Ashworth: inside the Man U power struggle
Departure of sporting director after five months shows the soap opera at Old Trafford has just got itself a new storyline
Slot downplays the obvious: Liverpool are Europe's best
If Jurgen Klopp turned mantras into catchphrases and viceversa, Arne Slot has a less memorable way with words. Klopp talked of mentality monsters, of turning doubters into believers, of their identity being intensity, of Liverpool 2.0.
EU requires more than just honeyed words from Reeves
Labour keeps talking about 'resetting' our relationship with Europe but then turning down chances to advance, writes James Moore. It's time they actually did something concrete
Understanding the life and tragic death of Sam Cooke
The lingering conspiracies surrounding the soulful Sixties crooner threaten to overshadow a life of music and civil rights activism, writes Mark Beaumont, not to mention a voice that would influence Otis Redding and Tina Turner
BAH. HUMBUG
It may seem Scrooge-like but, as overconsumption runs wild, refusing to buy pointless Christmas presents is more radical political act than cost-cutting exercise, argues Helen Coffey
BATTLE OF THE BEIGE
As one social media star sues another for stealing her clean girl’ aesthetic, Rachel Richardson looks at a legal fight that has the potential to change the landscape of influencers
GCSE English is dying, this is how we bring it back to life
Pearson, one of the three leading exam boards in the UK, has warned that urgent reform at GSCE level is needed. If English (as a subject) is to survive at both A-Level and higher education, it needs to be less pale, male and stale.
The last thing civil servants need is to babysit tech bros
There is a deep irony in a government that has kept making the same sort of mistakes now lecturing its civil servants who have to deal with the consequences) that they should adopt the test-and-learn culture” of the best digital companies and first-class” government projects.
