Reform UK Vows to Halt Visas for Nations Demanding Slavery Reparations

Reform UK has declared it will stop granting visas to citizens of nations that insist on receiving compensation from the UK for its role in the transatlantic slave trade. Zia Yusuf, the party's spokesperson on home affairs, characterised these reparations demands as "insulting" in remarks to The Daily Telegraph. He asserted that approximately 3.8 million visas have been issued over the past two decades to individuals from countries currently advocating for these reparations.

Historically, seven European nations, including the UK, were involved in the enslavement and transportation of over 15 million Africans across the Atlantic. Scholars note that the wealth generated from this enslavement significantly contributed to industrial development in Western nations. Recently, the United Nations passed a resolution labelling the transatlantic slave trade as the "gravest crime against humanity" and advocating for reparations as a tangible method to address historical injustices. This resolution gained support from the African Union and the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

Ghana's president, John Dramani Mahama, had put forward the resolution, stating, "Let it be recorded that when history beckoned, we did what was right for the memory of millions who suffered the indignity of slavery." Notably, the UK and other EU members abstained from the UN vote, while the United States voted against the non-binding resolution.

Yusuf further elaborated to The Telegraph, noting that an increasing number of countries are presenting claims for reparations to Britain. He argued that these nations overlook the substantial efforts made by Britain to become the first major power to abolish slavery and enforce its prohibition. He stated unequivocally that "the bank is closed and the door is locked" for anyone attempting to "use history as a weapon to drain our treasury."

"The United Kingdom is not an ATM for ethnic grievances of the past, and we will no longer tolerate being ridiculed on the world stage," Yusuf continued. "While countries like Jamaica, Nigeria and Ghana ramp up their demands for reparations, the Westminster establishment has rewarded them. Enough is enough."

This stance aligns with Reform UK's prior commitment to discontinue international aid to countries demanding reparations. A 2023 report, compiled by former International Court of Justice judge Patrick Robinson, calculated that the UK alone should pay $24 trillion (£18.8 trillion) in reparations for its involvement in transatlantic slavery across 14 nations.