Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he is open to apologising for the UK's role in the transatlantic slave trade, ahead of a visit to the Caribbean next week. In a piece for The Guardian, he proposed a 'structured dialogue' for those affected, but ruled out financial reparations.
Call for 'difficult conversations'
Writing in The Guardian, Mr Burnham said: '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 maintained that British people today should not be ordered to pay for what has happened in the past when they 'played no personal part'.
King Charles's Caribbean tour
King Charles has already begun a nine-day trip to the Caribbean ahead of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting, which he will preside over. In a speech at a youth rally in the Bahamas, the monarch acknowledged the 'great suffering of the past'. He has also visited a parade ground where slaves were publicly executed.
President Ali of Guyana said the King's apology would be 'the next step'. The prime minister of the Bahamas, Philip David, told Sky News that reparations is 'about acknowledgement'.
Calls for acknowledgement and possible change
Mr David said: 'Whether I like to see him apologise, again, that's a personal decision on his part after advice.'
'For me, repair and reparation is not absolutely money, simply, money. Some people think, I think, acknowledgement … which has been the first step, which we have now recognised. Acknowledgement, education, training, things of that nature.'
He also hinted he would be open to removing the King as his country's head of state, saying: 'That's a question for my people. I'm open to it, yes.'
