By Ahmed Abdelsalam
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has insisted that a formal apology for the UK’s historical role in slavery will not cost taxpayers any additional money, ruling out reparations while leaving the door open to an official apology.
No Reparations, Open to Apology
Speaking to BBC Newscast, Miliband criticised previous governments for a tendency to “sweep under the carpet” the issue of slavery. He described former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s 2006 expression of “deep sorrow and regret” as a “sorry, not sorry” that was later walked back by Downing Street. Miliband said the current government’s “structured dialogue” with Commonwealth nations on the issue is likely to conclude within a year, and a formal apology could come by the time the UK hosts the G20 leaders’ summit in Manchester next November.
Prime Minister’s New Approach
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pursued a “new approach” to the Commonwealth, using the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) in St John’s, Antigua, to propose a “debt reset” for poorer countries struggling with repayments. While ruling out reparations for the transatlantic slave trade, Burnham announced £40 million over three years from existing budgets to accelerate critical infrastructure investment, including green energy, in the Caribbean.
Commonwealth Response
Caribbean Community (Caricom) chairman and St Lucia Prime Minister Philip J Pierre said the bloc was “ready to engage” in the structured dialogue. Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama welcomed the shift, calling it a “first step” to address the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism.
