Last week, Keir StarmerThe leader of the UK Labour Party since 2020 and British prime minister since July 2024. headed out to the Pacific island nation of SamoaAn island country in Polynesia. for a summit with CommonwealthOfficially called the Commonwealth of Nations, it was set up in 1926. There are 54 members in all. It grew out of the British Empire and many members, although not all, were former British colonies. leaders. But if he was hoping to relax and soak up the sun, he was sorely disappointed.

Instead, he was immediately confronted with the demand that Britain offer reparationsProviding payment to make amends for a wrongdoing. for its historical role in the slave trade.

In Britain, this has opened a Pandora's BoxIn Greek mythology, Pandora is given a box by the gods containing all the evils in the world and told not to open it. She, of course, does.. Some argue Britain used the labour of millions of slaves to become the wealthiest, most powerful state in the world.

Now, they claim, it owes their descendantsPeople who are all descended from a certain ancestor or group. E.g. your children and grandchildren would be your descendants. reparations to compensate for the wealth it stole.

Others claim Britain got rich through its own technological know-how, not slavery. And then it spent £20m - around £17bn in today's money - ending slavery.

Even ConservativeHolding traditional values, and in a political context, favouring policies such as private ownership. leadership candidate Robert JenrickA British Conservative Party politician. has weighed in, arguing that the Commonwealth should actually be grateful to the UK.¹

What is the truth? Over three centuries, Britain shipped more than three million Africans to the Americas.²

Their conditions were unimaginable. They were packed in tiny spaces like cargo for the entire six-week voyage over the Atlantic. On one infamous occasion, 130 Africans were thrown overboard to drown so a captain could claim insurance.³

When they arrived in the coloniesArea or countries under the control of another nation. , they were often separated from their families before they were set to backbreaking labour. Their life expectancyThe number of years that a person can expect to live. after arrival was around seven years. The cotton and sugar they harvested was sent back to Britain.

When Britain abolishedTo get rid of a rule or practice. slavery in 1833, it did pay reparations - to the slaveowners. The slaves themselves received nothing.⁴

It is not very likely Britain will end up paying reparations. Some estimates put the amount it owes at as much as £18tn - almost seven times its GDPShort for Gross Domestic Product, the measure of all the goods and services produced inside a country..⁵

Should Britain pay up?

Yes: Millions of Africans suffered and died to make Britain rich, and then it left their own countries poor. This injustice has never been corrected. Now is the time to do it.

No: History is in large part a long series of injustices. We cannot make reparations for all of them. We can only move on from the past and try to forge more equal relations in future.

Or... This is not really about the past. It is about whether countries once colonised by Britain want to keep their links with it in the present. If they go elsewhere, the UK will be the weaker for it.

Keir Starmer - The leader of the UK Labour Party since 2020 and British prime minister since July 2024.

Samoa - An island country in Polynesia.

Commonwealth - Officially called the Commonwealth of Nations, it was set up in 1926. There are 54 members in all. It grew out of the British Empire and many members, although not all, were former British colonies.

Reparations - Providing payment to make amends for a wrongdoing.

Pandora's box - In Greek mythology, Pandora is given a box by the gods containing all the evils in the world and told not to open it. She, of course, does.

Descendants - People who are all descended from a certain ancestor or group. E.g. your children and grandchildren would be your descendants.

Conservative - Holding traditional values, and in a political context, favouring policies such as private ownership.

Robert Jenrick - A British Conservative Party politician.

Colonies - Area or countries under the control of another nation.

Life expectancy - The number of years that a person can expect to live.

Abolished - To get rid of a rule or practice.

GDP - Short for Gross Domestic Product, the measure of all the goods and services produced inside a country.