Reform will stop issuing visas to countries demanding slavery reparations
Reform plans to stop issuing visas to anyone from countries seeking reparations from the UK for slavery, and the party insists Britain will “no longer tolerate being ridiculed on the world stage”.
Ziya Yusuf described the demands for compensation as “insulting” and accused the countries demanding compensation of ignoring “the fact that England made great sacrifices to be the first great power to ban slavery and implement this ban.”
Don’t write TelegramReform’s home affairs spokesman said the “bank is closed and the door is locked” for those who want to “use history as a weapon to empty our treasury”.
Writing that more than 3.8 million visas have been issued to people from countries claiming compensation in the last 20 years, Yousuf added: “For too long, the British public have watched with astonishment and righteous anger as our political class has allowed this country to be treated as a global doormat.
“We are told to hang our heads in shame, apologize for our past, and open our wallets to pay ‘reparations’ for the so-called sins we committed, in the most outrageous way, centuries ago.
“Britain’s period of self-flagellation ends here. Today, Reformation UK draws a line in the sand. We have the world’s attention; the UK is no longer an ATM of past ethnic grievances and we will no longer tolerate ridicule on the world stage.”
“While countries such as Jamaica, Nigeria and Ghana increased their demands for compensation, the Westminster order rewarded them. Enough is enough.”
Reform Britain has previously promised to eliminate international aid to countries seeking compensation.
Mr Youssef’s remarks followed a 2023 report into compensation for the slave trade, prepared by former International Court of Justice judge Patrick Robinson, recommending that the UK pay a total of £18.8 trillion in compensation to 14 countries.
In 2024, Sir Keir Starmer faces growing demands to open talks on reparations at a major Commonwealth meeting in Samoa.
The Prime Minister was forced to promise Commonwealth countries that the UK would discuss reparations, but ministers said any talks would not be about monetary compensation.
At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Sir Keir said this generation needed to talk about the history of slavery but added that the UK needed to be “forward-looking” in its stance on reparations.
Asked whether this generation could be held responsible for the actions of their ancestors, the Prime Minister told the BBC: “I think our generation would say that the slave trade and its practices are abhorrent and we should talk about our history. We can’t change our history but we certainly need to talk about our history.”
Meanwhile, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said Britain could not pay compensation for its share of the slave trade.
Many countries claimed compensation, including Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Belize, Guyana, Suriname and Montserrat.
