Andy Burnham 'open' to calls for Britain to offer slavery apology but rules out reparations

Andy Burnham has revealed he is "open" to demands for Britain to issue a formal apology for its involvement in the slave trade. However, he has dismissed the prospect of financial reparations. The Prime Minister , who is scheduled to attend the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (Chogm) in the Caribbean next week, conveyed his personal "sorrow and regret" for the anguish inflicted by the transatlantic slave trade and pledged to provide a "structured dialogue" with those impacted.

In a piece for The Guardian , he wrote: "Having these difficult conversations to safeguard the Commonwealth for the future is the right thing to do. It is also the patriotic thing to do. "Not just because it is in our interests, but because the Britain I believe in is confident, decent and brave. We led the world in abolishing slavery – and we can show leadership again today." He described the trade as a "brutal and barbaric violation" of individuals "treated as property and worked to their deaths".

"I want to express my sorrow and regret for the pain and suffering of so many millions and to recognise the way it still shapes our world today," he penned. Caribbean countries have intensified their appeals for Britain to apologise for its part in trafficking enslaved people for financial gain, and for reparations, during the King's tour of the area. The Prime Minister stated: "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." Sticking to the same stance as his predecessors, he fell short of entertaining any notion of reparation payments. "Some have called for financial reparations for the slave trade. I do not believe that is the right answer. I do not think that British people today can be held liable for historical wrongs, however heinous, that happened in a different age under different laws and in which they played no personal part."

Instead, he pledged to spearhead a debt-servicing initiative aimed at helping nations repay their debts over a longer period at more favourable rates. Chancellor John Healey , Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and former prime minister Gordon Brown will join him at the summit to help with this work, he said. He also confirmed that the UK will back countries in their shift towards renewable energy, amplify the voices of smaller nations on the global stage, and support efforts to educate women and girls while tackling poverty and inequality.

Denis O'Brien, founder of The Repair Campaign, which describes itself as a transatlantic movement for reparatory justice for the Caribbean, said: "The British Government must stop obfuscating and give a full and formal apology now. This would be a significant and symbolic first step towards reparatory justice. "Tonight's statement from the Prime Minister was disappointing, and will not quell the demand for an apology from the 15 Caricom countries in advance of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua next week."

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