The Antigua and Barbuda Reparations Support Commission (ABRSC) has issued a formal response to a proposal by British political party Reform UK, which has suggested restricting visas for nationals of countries seeking slavery reparations.
According to Antigua Observer, the party — led by Nigel Farage — has proposed that, if it assumes power, it would deny new visitor and work visas to nationals from countries that are actively pursuing reparations claims against Britain, with Antigua and Barbuda among those potentially affected.
The ABRSC has pushed back against the proposal, signalling that the commission views the measure as both politically motivated and retaliatory in nature. The reparations movement has been a long-standing priority for the Antiguan government and regional bodies, including CARICOM, which has maintained a sustained diplomatic push for Britain and other former colonial powers to address the legacy of transatlantic slavery.
Reform UK's position represents a sharp departure from the cautious but ongoing dialogue that has characterised the United Kingdom's engagement — however limited — with Caribbean reparations advocates in recent years.
As reported by Antigua Observer, the ABRSC's response underscores the broader regional concern that political shifts in Britain could have direct consequences for Caribbean nationals who live, work, and travel to the United Kingdom, many of whom have deep familial and historical ties to the country.
The commission's intervention brings renewed attention to the intersection of immigration policy and the reparations debate, an issue that advocates argue cannot be separated from the broader question of historical accountability and justice.
