Badenoch claims British empire was force for good overall: ‘We have had enough of apologies’
Kemi Badenoch has said she believes the British Empire was “overall a force for good” as she criticised Andy Burnham for considering issuing an apology for slavery.
The Conservative leader acknowledged there were “terrible things that happened” but told Sky News on Sunday “there were terrible things that happened all over the world in all empires, and even in countries and regions where they didn’t have empires”.
It comes ahead of a Commonwealth leaders’ summit being hosted by Antigua next week, where the King is expected to speak about the issue of slavery with “unflinching honesty” and “sincere sorrow”.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting has increased interest after prime minister Andy Burnham offered Commonwealth nations the opportunity to discuss a slavery apology from Britain, but insisted financial reparations will not follow.
Mrs Badenoch accused the prime minister of not “thinking about the repercussions of his actions”, warning he risks putting “pressure” on the King during his visit.
“It encourages many of those countries to think that we’re looking weaker than we are,” she said.
“I don’t want people to see Britain as a weak country. We are a strong country, and I want our prime minister to be the biggest defender of the UK. Not another person going in to start apologising.
“We’ve had enough of apologising. It’s time for us to move on.”
Asked about whether she believes the British Empire was a “force for good”, the Tory leader said: “I have always said that I think that overall the British Empire was a force for good, and I think that we have to be honest about the history.
“Of course, there were terrible things that happened, but there were terrible things that happened all over the world in all empires, and even in countries and regions where they didn’t have empires.
“What we cannot do is build a time machine and go back into the past. It’s time for us to start looking to the future.”
The UK has issued formal apologies for a number of historic wrongs, including its treatment of Windrush citizens, Bloody Sunday and the Hillsborough disaster.
But Mrs Badenoch has said she is “worried” that next week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) will be “yet another opportunity for people to start asking Britain for money”.
Asked what she believes would be the problem with Britain offering a formal apology for its role in the transatlantic slave trade, Mrs Badenoch told Sky News: “It’s because of what will happen next.
“What I’m worried about is that this CHOGM summit is yet another opportunity for people to start asking Britain for money because of the slave trade.”
She added: “We need to start looking at how we can bring the Commonwealth together – start looking forwards, not backwards.
“I don’t think we should be giving any money to compensate people for the slave trade, and I don’t think that Andy Burnham needs to be apologising because it is a lever to wedge open the door to ask for cash.”
Chancellor John Healey said Britons should not have to accept the financial liability for the slave trade “in which they had no role”.
He told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme: “The prime minister has said, look, we are open to a discussion about an apology.
“He feels that that’s the right thing, particularly ahead of the Commonwealth leaders’ conference.
“But he doesn’t believe that reparations are the right approach, and considering a formal apology doesn’t mean accepting that British people now should accept the financial liability for any part in things that happened hundreds of years ago, in which they had no role.”