UK Seeks Input From Slave Trade-Affected Countries on Apology
Prime Minister Andy Burnham is opening talks with Commonwealth countries affected by Britain’s role in the slave trade to help shape a possible formal apology…
Prime Minister Andy Burnham will ask countries affected by the UK’s role in slavery to help shape a possible formal apology at the Commonwealth leaders’ summit in Antigua and Barbuda. The talks mark a new approach as the UK seeks to address a long-running dispute while ruling out financial reparations.
The summit begins on Tuesday, and Burnham is expected to launch what Downing Street calls a “structured dialogue” with affected countries and communities. It could also coincide with a proposal to restructure debt for Commonwealth nations facing higher borrowing costs.
That is the immediate stakes.
Burnham said the discussion represents a change in how Britain approaches its relations with the Commonwealth. “Britain is bringing a new approach to this meeting as we look to reshape a new era for the Commonwealth, as well as being open to discussions about the past,” he said.
How will affected countries shape the UK apology?
The Foreign Office will lead discussions on the form a possible apology could take. Downing Street said the government wants to hear directly from countries and communities affected by the transatlantic slave trade rather than decide unilaterally what the statement should say.
The prime minister’s spokesperson said the conversations were intended both to strengthen ties among Commonwealth nations and to address calls for an apology. The spokesperson said Burnham had expressed sorrow and regret for the suffering caused by the slave trade, but that this was distinct from a formal apology on behalf of the British state.
“We think it’s right that a formal apology is discussed properly with the countries and communities most affected, rather than simply deciding unilaterally what form it should take,” the spokesperson said.
There is no single summit session devoted to slavery or an apology. Downing Street said the issue would be discussed throughout the next couple of days, as Burnham takes part in assemblies and bilateral meetings with other leaders.
Debt plans, but no financial reparations
The debt proposal addresses a separate concern raised by Commonwealth countries: the growing cost of servicing debt. Downing Street says Burnham will set out a “debt reset” plan for nations dealing with higher interest payments. The proposal gives the summit a practical economic track even as leaders debate the UK’s historical responsibility.
The government has ruled out paying reparations. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the UK was open to discussing a formal apology, but rejected direct payments to address historic slavery.
“We don't think the right response is to ask British taxpayers today to make financial payments for these historic acts,” Miliband said.
The disagreement has shaped debate before the summit. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch urged Burnham not to apologise, arguing that an apology could encourage demands for compensation. Other Commonwealth leaders have called for an honest conversation about slavery’s legacy.
Burnham has argued that avoiding the issue has damaged the Commonwealth’s ability to work together. UK officials at the summit said other member countries had responded positively to the proposal for structured dialogue, and that discussions could help build cooperation on trade and climate issues.
The meeting brings representatives from 56 Commonwealth countries together. The UK also plans to lead two task forces, one on critical mineral assets and supply-chain vulnerabilities, and another on trade and investment. Officials said both groups would be established by the end of the year and report at the next leaders’ summit.
The immediate question is whether the dialogue can produce a form of apology accepted by the countries most affected, while the UK maintains its refusal to make financial reparations.
