UK PM Burnham open to slavery apology, rules out reparations
- Andy Burnham said he is open to a formal apology for Britain's role in the slave trade.
- He ruled out financial reparations, saying British people today cannot be held liable.
- The remarks come days before a Commonwealth summit in Antigua and Barbuda, as King Charles III tours the Caribbean.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he is willing to see the UK issue a formal apology for its part in the transatlantic slave trade, but he will not support paying financial reparations.
Burnham, the Labour leader, made the comments in an article for the Guardian newspaper on Saturday, days before he joins Commonwealth leaders in Antigua and Barbuda. King Charles III is also touring the Caribbean and is due to speak at the summit, which runs from November 1 to 4.
In the article, Burnham said he wanted to "express my sorrow and regret" for the suffering of millions of enslaved people and acknowledge that the trade still shapes the world today. He described the slave trade as a "brutal and barbaric violation" of the rights of those who were enslaved.
He said his government wants a structured conversation with the countries and communities affected. Hearing the calls for a formal state apology would be part of that, he wrote, adding: "I am open to them."
But Burnham rejected the idea of compensation. "I do not believe that is the right answer," he wrote, arguing that British people today should not be held responsible for wrongs committed in a different era, under different laws, in which they played no personal part.
Britain has never formally apologised for slavery or agreed to pay reparations. It was deeply involved in the trade for centuries and profited from it, and in 1833 parliament passed a law abolishing slavery.
Why it matters to Nigerians
The debate over apology and reparations is closely watched across Africa and the Caribbean, including in Nigeria, a former British colony. For many Nigerians, the question is not just symbolic: campaigners argue that the wealth Britain built helped shape today's global economy, and that former colonies deserve recognition and support.
Burnham's position — sorrow and a possible apology, but no money — is likely to draw criticism from reparations campaigners at the summit. Caribbean leaders have pushed Britain for years to go beyond expressions of regret.
The king has already acknowledged "the great suffering of the past" during a stop in the Bahamas on Tuesday, the first leg of his visit, according to reports. His speech to the summit will be watched for how far he goes.
What happens next
Commonwealth leaders meet in Antigua and Barbuda from November 1 to 4. Burnham is expected to face questions there on whether an apology will come, and when. Any formal apology would be a first for Britain, but it would not come with a cheque.
