PM tries to reassure businesses and investors in UK, while chancellor is in New York for IMF meetingKeir Starmer has been told by Commonwealth leaders he must come to the table to discuss reparations for the “ill effects” of slavery, PA Media reports.Commonwealth nations are looking at an agreement that could begin conversations on the issue through a communique, according to the BBC.There appears to be even a reluctance to have the conversation start.Many of the institutions in the UK have already conceded the point of apology, the British government isn’t quite there.Heads [of government], noting calls for discussions on reparatory justice with regard to the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans and chattel enslavement … agreed that the time has come for a meaningful, truthful and respectful conversation towards forging a common future based on equity.It’s written by consensus and some language along these lines on reparations is what were expecting. Our position hasn’t changed.The prime minister has been clear, and I believe that he’s right, that we have to focus on the future. There are serious, serious challenges facing countries like the Bahamas. They’re dealing with a triple crisis of climate change, they’re some of the worst affected countries in the world for climate change, historic debt on very poor terms, and growing problems of poverty. We’ve got to help them break out of that.As a country that’s home to the City of London, that is the legal jurisdiction where many of those debts are settled, and one of the biggest insurance markets in the world, we are almost uniquely placed to help them do that.But I think the idea that at this moment in the UK’s history, with the challenges facing other countries in the world and the world collectively, that we would be focused on anything other than dealing with the challenges that we have now and how future-proof the world against climate change would be the wrong approach. And I fully support the prime minister.The prime minister wore a suit but no tie, while Mr Albanese wore a tropical shirt and shorts.A Samoan church minister offered a blessing at the start of the gathering, and joked the king and queen had “brought the British weather to us”, adding: “We can blame them for this.” Continue reading…
Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2024/oct/24/labour-budget-keir-starmer-rachel-reeves-imf-uk-politics
Author : Andrew Sparrow
Publish date : 2024-10-24 09:11:56
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Starmer calms business fears over budget as Reeves prepares to announce debt rule change – UK politics live
