The prouder people are of the British Empire, the more likely they are to oppose apologising or paying reparations
Key takeaways
- Britons support issuing an official apology for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade by 52% to 37%
- However, 65% are opposed to paying reparations to affected countries, with only 21% in favour
- Green, Labour and Lib Dem voters support an apology, while Tories and Reform voters are opposed
- Greens are divided on reparations, while all other parties are opposed
- Both white and ethnic minority Britons tend to support an apology; white people are opposed to reparations, while ethnic minorities are divided
- The prouder Britons are of the British Empire, the more resistant they are to apologising or paying reparations
With Caribbean countries and campaigners having renewed calls for the UK to pay financial reparations for its role in the slave trade, Andy Burnham has ruled out making such payments.
The prime minister has, however, signalled his openness to the UK issuing a formal apology for the first time, and will ask countries that were affected to help shape such an apology.
New YouGov research shows that half of Britons (52%) say they would support the UK officially apologising for Britain’s role in the slave trade, while 37% would be opposed.
However, most stop short of backing the demands for reparations. Only 21% support the UK making such payments, including only 9% who “strongly” support doing so. Instead, 65% are opposed to reparations, including 49% who are strongly opposed.
Reform UK and Conservative voters are the most likely to oppose reparations, at 85-88%, alongside 69% of Lib Dem and 59% of Labour voters. Green voters are split, with 40% in favour but 42% opposed.
When it comes to partisan views on issuing an apology, the majority of Green (71%), Labour (68%) and Lib Dem voters (62%) are supportive. However, most Tories (58%) and three quarters of Reform UK voters (75%) are opposed to apologising for Britain’s role in the slave trade.
Attitudes correlate with Britons’ views on the British Empire. Fully 86% of those who say the Empire is more something to be ashamed of than proud of say they would support an apology, and 54% say they would back reparations.
While the majority (54%) of those who see the Empire as something to be neither proud nor ashamed of are willing to support an apology, only 17% are similarly inclined to back reparations. And among those who are more proud than ashamed of the British Empire, only 33% support an apology and just 10% reparations.
The large majority of ethnic minority adults support issuing an apology for the slave trade (71%). While this is still the most common answer among white adults, support is much lower at 49% - although still higher than the number of white adults who are opposed (40%) to officially apologising.
When it comes to reparations, ethnic minority adults are divided, with 43% in favour but 42% opposed. White adults are widely opposed to reparations, at 71%.
Methodology
- Sample size: Online survey of 2,258 adults aged 18+ living in Great Britain
- Fieldwork: 2-3 November 2026
- Commissioned by: YouGov
Please note that the reparations question was asked slightly differently in this year’s survey compared to our previous survey in 2025, so a direct comparison between the two may not be appropriate.
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Photo: Getty
