Andy Burnham says people today should "not be held liable for historical wrongs" on slavery

Andy Burnham, who is due to attend next week’s Commonwealth heads of government meeting in the Caribbean, has said he would accept an official British apology for the transatlantic slave trade while rejecting compensation payments. The remarks come as Caribbean nations renew calls for both an apology and reparations during King Charles’s regional tour; the king acknowledged past suffering in the Bahamas without apologizing. Burnham argues that people today should not bear financial responsibility for earlier injustices. According to the report, the U.K. government has not advised the monarch to apologize or offer reparations. The issue matters because it affects Britain’s relationship with Commonwealth partners seeking acknowledgment of slavery’s legacy.