Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was willing to have discussions with other Commonwealth countries about Britain’s historic slave trade but won’t provide reparations, amid expectation that the summit could agree to reference reparations justice in a joint communique this week.

Sir Keir Starmer has said he wants to focus on the future of the Commonwealth, after ruling out compensation for the UK's historical role in the slave trade. All three candidates to become the next head of the 56-nation organisation have called for reparations for countries that were affected by slavery.

Commonwealth leaders are reportedly preparing to defy the UK and agree plans to examine reparations for the transatlantic slave trade. It comes despite Downing Street’s insistence that the issue of reparations is not on the agenda for this week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (Chogm),