Burnham to seek affected countries’ input on formal slavery apology

Andy Burnham will invite countries affected by Britain’s involvement in slavery to help determine the form of an expected formal apology, Downing Street has said. The prime minister plans to begin consultations at the Commonwealth heads of government summit in Antigua and Barbuda, which opens on Tuesday.

Speaking ahead of his arrival, No 10 said the government wanted countries and communities most affected by the transatlantic slave trade to have a central role in the process. Burnham’s spokesperson said an apology of such significance should emerge from discussions with those affected, rather than have its wording and form decided by Britain alone.

Downing Street has excluded reparations payments following an apology. Burnham is, however, expected to present proposals at the summit for a debt restructuring system aimed at countries facing higher borrowing costs. British officials attending the gathering said the proposed dialogue had received a positive response from other Commonwealth members and could support discussions about trade and climate.

In remarks released before his arrival, Burnham described the Commonwealth as a potential source of cooperation in an increasingly divided and unpredictable world. He said the organisation brought together a third of the global population and argued that Britain should contribute fully to its work. He presented openness about the past as part of a changed approach to relations within the Commonwealth.

Burnham had outlined his willingness to consider an apology in a Guardian article published on Saturday. His spokesperson said the aim was to strengthen cooperation between Commonwealth nations around shared values, trade and economic growth. Discussing an apology would contribute to that objective and was also the right course to take, the spokesperson said.

The proposed process would go beyond the position taken by Tony Blair, who expressed sorrow over the slave trade and Britain’s involvement in 2006 without issuing a formal apology. Burnham’s spokesperson distinguished expressions of regret from an apology on behalf of the British state, while acknowledging that the suffering caused by the trade continues to shape the world.

Burnham is due to attend summit assemblies and hold bilateral meetings with fellow leaders. No separate session has been reserved for slavery or an apology. Downing Street said the subject would instead arise in discussions over the coming days, with the Foreign Office responsible for leading consultations on the form of an apology.

Foreign secretary Ed Miliband is already at the summit. A Foreign Office official said addressing difficult questions about Britain’s past was helping build trust with Commonwealth partners as they worked on shared priorities, including climate and trade.

Downing Street also rejected suggestions that Burnham’s remarks might have embarrassed King Charles, who is in Antigua and Barbuda for a visit before the summit. The prime minister’s spokesperson said Buckingham Palace had been informed in good time.