If the UK has to pay reparations, will other countries?

[Controversialname]

If the UK is made to pay reparations where will that leave other nations who were or indeed still are involved in slavery?

I'm Irish I think it's a bat shit concept.

I would assume not in this country. We have also done tremendous good in the world as a national. We spend billions every year on foreign aid. If it is a choice between UK and not UK then UK wins every time for me.

@Nightthoughtss to the countries they were stolen from
Greece
Nigeria
New Zealand

Tell Putin for me, that he is getting a good old paddlin' sooner or later.

Also, a lot of people who would be most affected by cuts in these (look at data on persistent low income / educational attainment) would likely have ancestors from countries who are asking for reparations. The whole thing makes no sense.

I didn't say Vietnam and the US.

I said have you thought about the countries that are specifically seeking reparations from the UK.

Have you thought about their suffering?

Too busy suffering day to day, sorry.

I am but a lowly serf.

I think so too.

So what countries are suffering?

It's obvious the UK will never pay reparations anyway

Look at the attitude on here. It would be like getting blood from a stone.

Absolute shameless money grab!

We've been giving money and aid to these so called developing countries and their Rolex wearing, golden palace dwelling leaders for years.

Enough is enough. Of course we won't apologise or compensate for things that happened long before any of our lifetimes. Absolute insanity.

The reason the government are being so wishy washy with it all is they know to go ahead would be political suicide.

It’s annoying how the rest of the world are quick to point out our negative history, but give little time to the positives.

Last century we lost 1 million of our people standing up to cruel, fascist Germany whilst other nations stood by passively and cowardly, or enabled them. We were the ones to lead the end of slavery. Where would the world be now if we hadn’t have taken a hammering from Germany and were key in their defeat?

I don’t hear anyone asking the Americans for compensation.

They are asking us now as Labour are weak. It’s a money grab.

I’m sick of the Brit bashing. I’m not paying any money out of my taxes to this. We have enough of our own problems.

Arent the heads of the Ccommonwealth going to meet soon, to discuss getting reparations from the UK.

The UK are going to have to give a public answer. It'll be interesting to see what they say

@Danajune11 the money being asked for is 18 trillion pounds. Do you undersrand how much that is - it is nine times our GDP. That is not just a case of reallocating some money from the NHS or schools. That is significantly more than all the money we have. We would be bankrupt.

Imagine all the money you had in the world was £500k (so your savings, your house and your pension). Now imagine someone demanded you pay them £4.5m. You would need to do more than simply reallocate your holiday and going out budget to make the repayments.

''Look at the attitude on here''.

I have a disabled daughter. I'm waiting pensively for the upcoming Budget on Wednesday to say where spending cuts might be made.

The powers that be have already came for Independent schools - they might yet come for my daughter's independent school and say we cannot afford to pay for the places with an EHCP attached.

If that happens, I will have to once again drop out of work.

You're darn tootin that I have an attitude on this.

Britain doesn't help itself though. Part of the reason Britian gets bashed is because of its hostile, defensive attitude.
People don't seem to realise that if the UK accounted for it's wrongs, people would like the UK more.

You talked about last century. Yes the UK helped a lot of people in world war two.

The UK also did a lot of wrong last century aswell.

They can.

Doesn't mean we have to pay.

I hope they don't . This country needs all the money it can get to help refugees.

Fortunately, this is a completely fantastical proposition. Reparations will never happen becasue we have a democratic form of government and the voting British public will never, ever vote to sacrifice their tax money as a punishement for crimes we haven't committed. I say this as a Labour voting Anglo-Irish liberal.

Even the most left-wing elements of the Labour party know this, proposing it in Parliament would be madness, it would get next to no votes and it would be the fastest way to ensure people vote out the government in the next election.

Got to love the commenters trying to make others feel a sense of national guilt for things they've not done. People have an intrinsic sense of fair play and being asked to accept punishment for things we haven't done just doesn't work and never will.

I notice that you haven't said if you live in the UK. Neither will you list these suffering countries.
I'm interested to know.

Yes but they quoted that figure because that's how much the UK stole , and then money for damages after.

Like the UK are going to have to do SOMETHING. Maybe not 18 trilllion , but they need to do something.

They can't just run away from it.

The commonwealth leaders are having a big meeting about it.

But what about when the UK stole land and money from other countries. And forced them into poverty.

I think your understanding of history is shallow and simplistic.
Anyway the UK ended the transatlatic slave trade. The world can thank us anytime it likes.

Like the UK are going to have to do SOMETHING. Maybe not 18 trilllion , but they need to do something.

It's not happening. It would be politcal suicide. Not because Brits are evil selfish bastards, but because none of them alive did it, most didn't benefit and we're already at sky high taxes and evicerated services.

I doubt they'll give any cash pay out. If any reparations are to be made, it'll be something akin to what I suggested earlier.

Favourable trade agreements etc.

Yes, and if they could not just say it in four words but, y'know, make a big song and dance about it - that would be preferable. You're welcome.

The commonwealth leaders are having a big meeting about it.

People have meetings about lots of things. Doesn’t mean any actions come out of them.