Britain has agreed to take part in "structured, time-bound, inclusive and good-faith" discussions addressing the "historical harms" of the transatlantic slave trade, Commonwealth leaders have announced after the CHOGM summit in Antigua.
In a joint statement, the group of nations declared the moment had arrived for a "meaningful, truthful and respectful conversation towards forging a common future based on equity".
The development follows Prime Minister Andy Burnham opening the door to a formal apology on behalf of the UK for its involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, while ruling out the possibility of direct reparations.
UK agrees to dialogue on historical harms
The communique issued at the conclusion of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua stated: "We welcome the agreement of the Government of the United Kingdom to engage in a structured, time-bound, inclusive and good-faith dialogue with affected parties addressing the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans and its historical harms."
Officials indicated the timeframe for the process would be determined at a later date, though Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has suggested it would likely wrap up within a year. When asked whether the Government might arrive at the point of a formal apology by the time it hosts the G20 leaders' summit in Manchester next November, he told BBC Newscast: "Broadly speaking, yes."
Mr Burnham has used his first CHOGM to pledge he will listen to fellow member states and adopt a "new approach" to the Commonwealth following the previous summit in 2024, which saw Downing Street rebuff demands for an apology and attempt instead to concentrate on the organisation's future.
Reparations ruled out, funding pledged
In line with his predecessors, he has ruled out the notion of paying reparations but has indicated he wishes to explore ways of assisting poorer nations grappling with debt repayments.
The UK will also commit £40 million over three years from existing budgets to accelerate vital infrastructure investment including green energy across the Caribbean.
Mr Miliband has maintained British taxpayers will not contribute a penny more as a consequence of the policy shift amid questions surrounding the extent of future financial support after the Prime Minister declined to confirm whether there might be additional contributions falling short of direct reparations.
However, he accused previous governments of having a tendency to "sweep under the carpet" the issue of slavery more broadly and said the previous summit had culminated in a "verbal punch-up" which the Government was keen to avoid.
Reactions from leaders and opposition
He also criticised what he characterised as a "sorry, not sorry" from Sir Tony Blair, who in 2006 expressed "deep sorrow and regret" for Britain's role in the slave trade but fell short of an official apology.
Calls for an apology and reparations have intensified in recent years, with St Lucia's Prime Minister Philip J Pierre, chairman of the 15-member Caribbean Community (Caricom) reportedly stating the economic and political bloc was "ready to engage" in the "structured dialogue" Mr Burnham had put forward.
The Commonwealth leaders' summit took place alongside a visit by the King, who heads the organisation, to the Caribbean. Charles acknowledged the legacy of slavery as he opened the gathering, telling leaders it was a "shameful chapter of history" which "fills my heart with horror and my soul with the most profound personal sorrow".
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called on the prime minister not to issue an apology for slavery, warning it would provide countries with grounds to seek reparations from the UK. She said: "I don't think we should be giving any money to compensate people for the slave trade, and I don't think that Andy Burnham needs to be apologising because it is a lever to wedge open the door to ask for cash."
