Slavery

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was open to calls for a formal apology from the British state for its role in the transatlantic slave trade, while ruling out financial reparations. BBC One reported that he made the comments in The Guardian ahead of a Commonwealth Leaders Summit in the Caribbean next week, and that he described a structured dialogue in which listening to calls for an apology would be an important part. Sky News also reported that Burnham was open to an apology and had ruled out considering financial reparations. BBC One reported that the Prime Minister of Barbados welcomed the statement, and that Burnham was willing to discuss debt restructuring. It said campaigners seeking reparatory justice want a broader package including education, climate measures and changes to institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, and that Burnham's language was a shift but fell short of some nations' demands. BBC One reported that Number 10 criticised the previous government's handling of the issue before the 2024 summit, saying it had damaged relationships and allowed the summit to be dominated by the subject. It said Burnham hoped to discuss climate, trade and Commonwealth partnership amid global uncertainty involving the US, Canada and Russia.

Sky News reported that King Charles was touring the Caribbean and had faced repeated calls for reparations and an apology. It said the King landed in Antigua with fanfare, and that in Guyana the visit did not satisfy all, with questions about slavery and compensation expected to dominate the coming days in Antigua. Sky News also reported that campaigners and indigenous leaders gathered, and it quoted a campaigner saying the King could apologise for his family's participation in the transatlantic slave trade and wealth derived from enslaved labour, though he could not apologise for the British government. BBC One reported that the King was in the Caribbean at the time of Burnham's comments.