The British government has ruled out paying reparations for the UK’s historic role in slavery after Jamaica submitted a petition to King Charles III on the issue.
Jamaica’s Ministry of Culture said on Sunday that a government delegation visiting the UK would present the petition to advance its campaign for reparations for African ancestors who suffered through centuries of slavery.
On Monday, the ministry confirmed on X that the petition had been submitted.
The petition asks the King, who is Jamaica’s head of state, to refer three questions on the legality of the transatlantic slave trade to the Caribbean island’s highest court of appeal, which sits in London.
According to the delegation, this is the first time a Commonwealth country has used this legal route to pursue the issue of reparations.
A Downing Street spokesperson rejected the prospect of compensation, saying the UK does not pay reparations and will not do so.
The spokesperson added that the transatlantic slave trade was abhorrent and that it was right to acknowledge the wrongs of the past, but said the government would continue to focus on the future and work with other countries on shared challenges.
The Jamaican petition seeks an advisory opinion on three points: whether the enslavement of Africans in Jamaica was lawful under English law, whether it breached international law, and whether the UK now has a legal duty to provide reparations.
On Sunday, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said the King had often expressed his personal and profound sorrow at the suffering of so many as a result of slavery.
The King had also expressed his commitment to deepening understanding of the issue and finding ways to address historical wrongs for the benefit of present-day communities, the spokesperson said.
