Burnham to Ask Commonwealth Nations to Help Shape UK Apology for Slavery

Andy Burnham was on his way to Antigua and Barbuda on Monday, headed for the Commonwealth heads of government summit that opens on Tuesday. He carried a proposal that Downing Street says marks a change in how Britain approaches the Commonwealth: a "structured dialogue" with the countries affected by Britain's role in slavery, to decide what a formal apology should look like.

No 10 framed the idea as one of process. The prime minister, officials said, believes the input of affected countries is indispensable if the message is to endure. His spokesperson said it is right for an apology to be discussed with the countries and communities most affected, rather than for Britain to decide unilaterally what form it takes. An apology of this significance, he said, should be informed by the people and countries most affected, as they have asked for.

Burnham first signalled his intention in an article for the Guardian on Saturday. There he argued that the UK should "show leadership again today", as it had in efforts to end the transatlantic slave trade. In comments released by No 10 before his arrival, he said Britain was bringing a new approach to the meeting as it looks to reshape a new era for the Commonwealth, while being open to discussions about the past. He described the organisation as having the potential to be a powerful force for good in a more divided, unpredictable world, bringing together a third of the global population.

The spokesperson was careful to separate this from earlier statements. Tony Blair expressed "deep sorrow" about the slave trade in 2006 but stopped short of a formal apology. Burnham, the spokesperson said, intends to go further. Like his predecessors, the prime minister has expressed sorrow and regret for the pain and suffering the trade caused, and recognised how it still shapes the world. That, the spokesperson said, is distinct from a formal apology, and the dialogue will listen to calls for one on behalf of the British state.

There are limits. Downing Street has ruled out paying reparations after an apology. Burnham is, however, expected to set out plans at the summit for a system of debt restructuring for countries facing higher debt costs.

The summit has no single session set aside for slavery or an apology. No 10 said discussions would take place "throughout the next couple of days", alongside a series of assemblies and bilateral meetings between Burnham and other leaders. The Foreign Office will lead talks on the form an apology might take. Foreign secretary Ed Miliband is already at the summit, and one Foreign Office official said other Commonwealth countries are responding positively to the offer. The official added that conversations so far have centred on climate and trade, and that not shying away from difficult discussions about the past builds trust with allies. UK officials also suggested the move could help talks on those separate issues.

There is a royal dimension. King Charles is already in Antigua and Barbuda for a visit before the summit, and No 10 denied that Burnham's comments had potentially embarrassed him. Buckingham Palace, the spokesperson said, was made aware in a timely manner. Asked why an apology was needed at all, the spokesperson said Burnham wants to strengthen the Commonwealth as a family of nations with shared values, and that being true to British values of decency and honesty means not avoiding these conversations.

What to watch now is whether Commonwealth governments formally accept the dialogue, and whether the apology talks become tied to the trade, climate and debt discussions on the summit's agenda.