Burnham opens door to formal apology for Britain’s slave trade

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was open to discussions about a formal state apology for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade, but ruled out financial reparations. Writing in The Guardian ahead of the Commonwealth summit in Antigua and Barbuda, he proposed talks with affected countries and groups and expressed “sorrow and regret” for the suffering of enslaved people. Instead, he proposed easing poorer nations’ debt burdens by extending repayment periods and lowering interest rates, with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown assisting. Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley welcomed the opening for talks, while Antigua’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne welcomed the debt initiative.