THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Bal Ram Sampla
Geopolitics
African and Caribbean countries want the UK to pay money for slavery and colonialism from the past. They call this “reparations.” But the UK does not have enough money to pay what these countries are asking for.
The Money Problem is Too Big
The countries want $18 trillion dollars. This is a huge amount of money. Here are some simple facts:
(1). The UK makes $3 trillion dollars every year (this is called GDP)
(2). The reparations demand is $18 trillion
(3). This means the UK would need to give away 6 years of ALL its money
(4). This is impossible because people need money for hospitals, schools, and food.
The UK Already Owes Too Much Money
The UK government already borrowed too much money. They owe money because of:
(1). COVID-19 pandemic costs
(2). Brexit problems
(3). Rising prices for everything
The government is trying to spend less money, not more. Adding reparations payments would make this debt problem much worse.
UK Citizens Need Money Too
The UK must spend money on important things for its own people:
(1). Hospitals and doctors (NHS)
(2). Schools and universities
(3). Roads and bridges
(4). Help for old and sick people
(5). Fighting climate change
If the UK pays reparations, it means less money for these important things. UK citizens would suffer.
No One Can Force the UK to Pay
There is no international law that says the UK must pay reparations. No court can make them pay. This makes it a political question, not a legal one.
Other countries that paid reparations in the past paid much smaller amounts to fewer people. The colonial reparations demand is much bigger and more complicated.
What Could Work Instead
Instead of asking for $18 trillion, these countries could ask for:
(1) Help building schools and hospitals
(2) Better trade deals
(3) Debt forgiveness (cancel money these countries owe)
(4) Technology sharing
(5) Student exchange programs
These things cost less money but still help people.
Conclusion
The reparations demand is too big. $18 trillion is more money than the UK has. Paying this would make the UK poor and hurt its own people.
The UK should help former colonies in realistic ways that don’t cost impossible amounts of money. Both sides need to talk about what is actually possible, not what sounds good but cannot happen.
As David Lammy MP found out. In opposition he stated in 2018:
“As Caribbean people we are not going to forget our history, we don’t just want to hear an apology — we want reparations,”
However, he has changed his position as former Foreign Secretary (and now Deputy Prime Minister as of September 5, 2025), Lammy’s stance has shifted. He now says “not about the transfer of cash.” In response to a parliamentary question on 25 February, he responded that the Government would not be making cash transfers and payments for slavery reparations to the Caribbean.
It is very simple: You cannot spend money you do not have.
References
1. https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/09/04/african-caribbean-summit-should-address-reparations
2.https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/voices/championing-reparations-for-africans-and-people-of-african-descent
