David Lammy: Slavery reparations not about transfer of cash

“It’s not about the transfer of cash, particularly at a time of a cost of living crisis around much of the globe, and certainly in the UK,” Lammy said.

“That is not the debate I think that people are wanting to have. They’re wanting to think about the future.”

Speaking in Lagos, a Nigerian port city once central to the transatlantic slave trade, during his first visit to Africa as foreign secretary, Lammy said it was right the UK had previously apologised for its role in slavery.

He said: “When we look back on that period, there were many horrors. It was horrific and horrendous in many, many ways. And there are scars that were left, and let’s be clear – I am the descendant of enslaved people, so I recognise that.

“When we were last in government, we said sorry, and we commemorated the abolition of the slave trade.”

Lammy acknowledged that Caribbean nations had made a 10-point plan for reparatory justice.

But he said he believed developing nations would benefit as part of that through things such as the transfer of technical skills and science expertise from the UK.

The foreign secretary’s remarks on reparations follow the issue’s discussion last month at CHOGM in Samoa.

The UK has faced growing calls from Commonwealth leaders to pay reparations for the country’s role in the slave trade.

Before the Samoa summit, Downing Street had said the issue was not due for discussion but Sir Keir Starmer later signed a document calling for talks on “reparatory justice” alongside other Commonwealth leaders.