Badenoch rejects slavery reparations, provoking Antigua’s prime minister
Kemi Badenoch said the Chogm summit was “yet another opportunity for people to start asking Britain for money because of the slave trade”, adding that Andy Burnham should not apologise. Antigua’s prime minister told ITV News it was “no wonder” she was not prime minister.
Badenoch argued the Commonwealth should be “looking forwards, not backwards” and that an apology would be “a lever to wedge open the door to ask for cash”. Antigua’s leader renewed his wish for the country to become a republic. The row puts pressure on the Prime Minister over reparatory justice at the summit. Domestically, Badenoch’s position is strengthening: Ipsos puts the Conservatives second on 24%, ahead of Reform for the first time, with her satisfaction rating at 35%.