UK Prime Minister Burnham open to slavery apology but rejects reparations
publishers 25articles 27first reported 31 Oct, 03:12 UTCdeveloping since 31 Oct · 2 editionstop 25 #23
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was open to a formal state apology for the United Kingdom’s role in the transatlantic slave trade, while ruling out financial reparations.
Writing in The Guardian ahead of a Commonwealth leaders’ summit in Antigua and Barbuda, Burnham expressed “sorrow and regret” for the suffering of millions of enslaved people and described the slave trade as a “brutal and barbaric violation” of their rights. He proposed a structured dialogue with affected countries and campaign groups, saying that listening to calls for an official apology would be part of the process.
Burnham said present-day British people should not be held financially liable for historical abuses in which they played no personal part. Instead, he proposed international action to ease poorer countries’ debt burdens through longer repayment periods and lower interest rates, with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown assisting the initiative.
Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley welcomed the prospect of talks while maintaining her government’s support for reparations, Al Jazeera reported. Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne welcomed Burnham’s debt proposal and pledges of renewable-energy cooperation.
Caribbean governments have long sought redress through CARICOM’s 10-point plan, which includes a formal apology and support for healthcare, education and development, as well as measures addressing slavery’s economic and social effects. King Charles III is also due to attend the Commonwealth summit, though Buckingham Palace has said he will not issue a formal apology during his Caribbean trip.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 7 articles, 3 with the publisher's own text; 7 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 12 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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- Source articles
- 27
- Given to the writer
- 7, 3 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 7
- This version written
- 12 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
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- passed
- Human review
- none
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