Black Voters' Group Hits Back at Badenoch's Slavery Remarks
The chair of Operation Black Vote says Kemi Badenoch's comments on slavery have caused deep anger among many black voters. He also wants Andy Burnham to apologise for Britain's part in slavery without delay.
The remarks at the centre of the row
Badenoch said Burnham should not apologise for Britain's historical role in slavery. She called an apology "a lever to wedge open the door to ask for cash". She also criticised Commonwealth leaders on X. It was a week in which postcolonial legacies dominated the UK political agenda.
Burnham has said he is open to a formal apology on behalf of the British state. He has ruled out reparations. Commonwealth leaders say the UK has agreed to structured dialogue over the next year.
What Weaver says
David Weaver, a former government adviser, chairs Operation Black Vote (OBV). He said the Labour and Tory leaders both risked alienating black voters in how they handle a state apology. Badenoch's remarks, in his words, showed a troubling absence of moral leadership.
Weaver welcomed Burnham's apparent willingness to apologise. What worried him was the government's almost reflexive insistence that reparations are off the table. Only the prime minister, he said, has the power to ease the hurt felt by descendant communities.
In Weaver's account, Commonwealth nations want an apology to recognise continuing colonial legacies that hamper development. He called Badenoch's comments profoundly insulting.
Weaver said this is not an abstract historical debate for black communities. It concerns their families, heritage and humanity, and he warned leaders against underestimating how deeply black communities feel.
In his view an apology should come without being begged for. It should express genuine remorse and responsibility, not read as a managed political statement. He added that reparative justice is about more than money.
Voters and parties
Weaver said OBV was hearing "profound anger, hurt and disbelief".
Two years ago Badenoch took the Conservative leadership, the first black woman to head a big British party. OBV is a national, non-partisan civil rights group founded in 1996. It welcomed that achievement at the time. Weaver said many black voters now tell the group they mistrust her for a lack of empathy.
In the 2024 general election black voters leaned towards Labour more than any other voters did. Weaver said OBV now finds them despondent with the party and feeling taken for granted. He pointed in particular to how Labour handled the consequences of the Windrush scandal.
Badenoch's approach to race
Badenoch champions a colour-blind approach to race. Her stated position over the years is that minority voices may disagree about race without being branded disloyal to their own communities.
Weaver said that point cuts both ways. Heritage, whether white or black, does not place anyone's views beyond challenge, he argued.
The report says Downing Street and the Conservatives were asked for a response.
Source: The Guardian