4 publishers · first seen Wed, 04 Nov 2026 02:14 UTC · updated Sat, 07 Nov 2026 10:22 UTC
The UK has agreed to engage in 'structured, time-bound, inclusive and good-faith' talks to address the historical harms of the transatlantic slave trade, according to a statement from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has expressed openness to a formal apology for the UK's role in slavery but has ruled out reparations. The talks will involve affected countries and are expected to conclude within a year. Burnham has also announced a £40 million investment in Caribbean infrastructure over three years.
Former UK ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Sir John Jenkins, has criticized the UK's willingness to apologize, warning it could encourage further demands for reparations. He argues that the UK's readiness to back down has emboldened adversaries and that the calls for reparations are a 'cynical and mercenary shakedown'.
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