Good morning. Happy Black History Month! We are now a week into a time of reflection on the richness of Black history and culture in the UK. Yet, too often one of the main aspects of that history – the debate around reparations for transatlantic enslavement – feels stuck in a loop. When the question of redress is raised, the backlash swiftly follows: too complicated, too divisive, too unfair.
We saw this happen last year, when Keir Starmer became the first sitting British prime minister to visit a Pacific island nation. He hoped to leave with upbeat headlines about new Commonwealth partnerships. Instead, the trip was dominated by demands for justice for historic wrongs.
