Cringe moment Ed Miliband awkwardly tries to dance along to steel drums as he joins Burnham in Caribbean

27 comments 27 Next THIS is the cringe moment the Foreign Secretary attempts to dance to steel drums alongside Andy Burnham in the Caribbean. Ed Miliband was seen doing a little boogie in Antigua before clocking that he was being filmed and smiling bashfully at the camera. 8 Ed Miliband awkwardly tries to dance along to steel drums as he joins Andy Burnham in the Caribbean Source: PA 8 Miliband was seen doing a little boogie in Antigua before clocking that he was being filmed and smiling bashfully at the camera Source: PA Advertisement Miliband and Burnham were watching a performance by the Hell’s Gate steel orchestra when the Foreign Secretary broke into a hop and hiked up his arms in a jig.

When he saw the camera he grinned then resorted to swinging his arms in a more low-key move. Sign up for the Politics newsletter Thank you! Email address Please provide a valid email. Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy You'll now receive top stories, breaking news, and more, straight to your email. He bobbed alongside the PM, who later had a go on the drums and played the first line of Mary Had A Little Lamb on repeat.

Miliband was seen wincing as he and the PM tried to bang out the tune, with Burnham attempting to take the lead. Read more STANDING FIRM King Charles will not issue formal apology for slavery on Caribbean tour CASH ROW PM refuses to rule out taxpayer cash for Commonwealth nations after apology row Khan Cordice, director of the orchestra, said to Burnham afterwards: “You’re a musician.” He replied: “I play a little music. It’s a great way of getting people together.” 8 Andy Burnham and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband play steel pans during a visit to Hells Gate Orchestra Steel Pan Yard in St.

John’s, Antigua Source: AFP 8 They played the first line of Mary Had a Little Lamb on repeat Source: AFP Advertisement The Prime Minister has previously been seen playing a song by The Smiths on the guitar on a visit to Kyiv. While he was Greater Manchester mayor, he played a few chords during a chat with former Stone Roses and Simply Red guitarist Aziz Ibrahim. Most read in The Sun ‘WORLD SHATTERED’ My son, 17, fell ill on holiday before doctors gave horrifying diagnosis KID CONTROLS Snapchat begins phasing out major tool for children in UK under new crackdown flake expectations Met Office long-term weather forecast – snow likely as winter approaches DEADLY SMASH At least 2 killed as plane crashes in fireball on busy motorway And during his time as culture secretary, he played Teenage Kicks with the Undertones singer Feargal Sharkey.

The pair are in Antigua for a Commonwealth trip, meaning they missed out on PMQs yesterday. It meant Louise Haigh faced MPs in his stead for the first time as she was grilled on Labour’s plans to bring down the soaring benefits bill. Advertisement The summit in Antigua and Barbuda comes amid repeated calls from Commonwealth member states for the UK to issue a formal apology and pay reparations for the historic slave trade. A UN judge claimed in 2023 the UK likely owes more than £18trillion for its historical role in slavery.

Every time King Charles leaves the UK for visits to Africa or the Caribbean, he faces questions about apologising for the transatlantic slave trade. So far, he has declined to give a formal apology. Charles and Camilla have spent six days on an official visit to the Caribbean nation to attend the opening of a major Commonwealth summit and celebrate the country and its people. Advertisement 8 Burnham attempted to take the lead and guide Miliband as they took to the drums Source: AFP 8 Charles and Camilla have spent six days on an official visit to the Caribbean nation Source: Getty The Antiguan PM revealed he personally wants to see Charles removed as his country’s monarch and Antigua become a republic.

In a speech to launch the summit, Charles said the transatlantic slave trade “fills my heart with horror and my soul with the most profound personal sorrow”, but did not offer an apology. The head of the Commonwealth also praised the “leading role” of the Royal Navy in helping to enforce the end of slavery once it was abolished. Advertisement The Prime Minister has, until now, firmly maintained that Britain will not pay reparations for its historical role in the slave trade.

But when pushed on whether his approach won’t involve a single penny of taxpayers’ cash, he said: “I’ve been very clear that we do not support reparations.” Asked about additional financial contributions, he said: “What we need to have is that meaningful dialogue where we take time to listen. “And let’s be clear, the Commonwealth is an important part of our trade too. It’s a two-way arrangement. “Trade is up between the UK and the rest of the Commonwealth in the last year, quite significantly actually.

Advertisement “So you need to see it in that way as well. It benefits Britain to be here, listening to people, building that new partnership and that’s good for growth in Britain.” It was revealed on Monday that the Prime Minister has committed £40m into Caribbean projects , including green-energy schemes. He is also setting out plans to help poorer Commonwealth members grappling with increased debt costs, as part of his “new approach” to “revitalise” the partnership of the 56 countries. 8 King Charles speaks to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his wife Diana Fox Carney at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Dinner Source: PA 8 Prime Minister Andy Burnham and the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne shake hands ahead of a bilateral meeting Source: PA Advertisement Speaking at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the PM refused to rule out giving away taxpayers’ money to the Commonwealth three times.

By considering investment in African and Caribbean healthcare, Burnham is overturning decades of established British foreign policy. The UK government’s longstanding policies on transatlantic slavery include no formal apologies – and financial demands are overlooked to keep official agendas off the cards. By suggesting the UK is open to a formal apology , the Prime Minister has raised hopes among Commonwealth leaders that Britain is moving closer to negotiating a reparations deal.

Burnham said: “It’s not the case that we don’t support countries in the Commonwealth around development and helping them with debt issues that they’ve got, green finance, that’s what we’ve done under all governments and, in my view, we should continue to do as part of being a Commonwealth.” Advertisement Leader of the Conservatives, Kemi Badenoch , accused Burnham of putting the King under “pressure” by suggesting there may be chances of a formal apology.

However, it was found later that Buckingham Palace was not surprised by Burnham’s statement. RECOMMENDED STORIES In 2023, the Netherlands made the first formal apology from a national government for the country’s involvement in the slave trade. They ruled out reparations but set up a £167million fund for restoration work in the former Dutch colonies. 27 comments 27