British Prime Minister Andy Burnham says he is open to calls for a formal apology on behalf of the country for its role in the transatlantic slave trade.
In an op-ed published Friday in The Guardian, Burnham
described the slave trade as a “brutal and barbaric violation” against enslaved
people.
“They were denied their humanity. They were separated from
their families, treated as property and worked to their deaths,” Burnham said.
“I want to express my sorrow and regret for the pain and
suffering of so many millions of people, and to recognise the way it still
shapes our world today.”
However, the prime minister said that while there have been
calls for financial reparations for the slave trade, “I do not believe that is
the right answer”.
“I do not think that British people today can be held liable
for historical wrongs, however heinous, that happened in a different age under
different laws and in which they played no personal part.”
Instead, Burnham said he would launch a new drive to
restructure debt for the poorest Commonwealth countries, helping them repay
debt over a longer period and with better interest rates.
The prime minister’s comments come ahead of a Commonwealth
leaders’ summit in the Caribbean next week where slavery and reparations are
expected to dominate the agenda.
Just last week, Shirley Botchwey, Commonwealth secretary
general, said a formal apology for slavery from King Charles, who will attend
the heads of government summit, “wouldn’t hurt,” adding that the “time has
come” for a serious conversation on reparations.
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