Brief
UK Prime Minister Burnham to attend Caribbean Commonwealth summit after signalling openness to slavery apology
Burnham expressed sorrow for the slave trade, rejected reparations and will meet the King at the summit.
By Felo News Desk · Published
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham will travel to St John’s, Antigua, for a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting that runs from Sunday to Wednesday, after writing that he is "open" to a formal British apology for the trans‑Atlantic slave trade.
What happened
The summit, attended by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, begins on Sunday and continues through Wednesday in the Caribbean capital. Burnham, who announced his openness in a Guardian op‑ed, said Britain must acknowledge its "complicated history" and expressed "sorrow and regret for the pain and suffering of so many millions". He also ruled out any financial compensation, stating that modern Britons cannot be held liable for historical wrongs.
What the reports add
Burnham outlined a "structured dialogue" with communities affected by the slave trade and said the discussion of an apology will be an important part of that process. Labour MP Dawn Butler, quoted by the Press Association, said reparations take many forms, including stopping ongoing harm and addressing discriminatory structures. Conservative business secretary Kemi Badenoch warned that an apology could open the door to demands for cash, adding she does not think Britain should pay compensation.
What was said
"We are offering a structured dialogue with those affected by the transatlantic slave trade. Listening to calls for a formal apology on behalf of the British state will form an important part of this process and I am open to them," Burnham wrote in The Guardian.
"Reparations takes many forms. It's not just about financial reparations. One of the leading requests of reparations is to stop the harm – that is a form of reparations," Dawn Butler told the Press Association.
"I don’t think we should be giving any money to compensate people for the slave trade, and I don’t think that Andy Burnham needs to be apologising because it is a lever to wedge open the door to ask for cash," Kemi Badenoch said.
How it came about
Burnham’s comments follow weeks of renewed calls from Caribbean nations for a UK apology and reparations. The monarch’s Caribbean tour began on 27 October in the Bahamas, with a stop in Antigua on 31 October to open the CHOGM, as reported in Felo’s earlier coverage here. Burnham’s stance marks a shift from previous governments that have not offered a formal apology for the slave trade.
Key facts
- Andy Burnham will attend the Commonwealth summit in St John’s, Antigua, from Sunday to Wednesday. (standard.co.uk)
- Burnham wrote in The Guardian that he is open to a formal UK apology for the trans‑Atlantic slave trade. (standard.co.uk)
- He rejected financial reparations, saying modern Britons cannot be held liable for historical wrongs. (standard.co.uk)
- Labour MP Dawn Butler said reparations take many forms, not just financial. (standard.co.uk)
- Conservative Kemi Badenoch warned an apology could lead to cash demands. (standard.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] standard.co.uk — originally reported as “Burnham heads to Commonwealth summit after opening door to slavery apology”
