Farage defends plan to block visas from countries demanding slavery payouts

Nigel Farage has defended his party’s proposal to block visa requests from a British Overseas Territory if its Government demands slavery reparations.

Reform UK named Montserrat in a list of countries and territories which the party would limit legal migration from, if their leaders continued to ask London to compensate for its role in the transatlantic slave trade.

Asked why this was the case, Mr Farage told the Press Association: “Well, hang on a second. Let’s just play fair with this.

“If Montserrat think they’re going to sue us in some bogus international court for vast sums of money, that is not the way the relationship needs to be.”

Speaking in Romford Market, east London, the party leader added: “Do you know what?

“I have arguments within my family. We have these little disputes within our wider political family.”

Montserrat is a member of Caricom, a group of countries and territories which has published a 10-point plan for reparatory justice.

Reform UK also named Caricom in its list.

“Caribbean governments that emerged from slavery and colonialism have inherited the massive crisis of community poverty and institutional unpreparedness for development,” according to Caricom’s plan, which includes a debt cancellation proposal for affected countries.

Also part of the plan is a full formal apology and a call for European governments “to participate in the alleviation” of a “health disaster”.