Burnham Considers Apology, Rejects Reparations
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British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was open to a formal apology for Britain’s role in the slave trade ahead of a Caribbean Commonwealth summit, but rejected reparations.
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by Alan Lester
BBC, at least get basic facts right on reparations: the slave “trade” is not the same thing as inter-generational plantation slavery. Examine CARICOM’s demands rather than accepting what anti-reparative activists tell you they are.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Burnham 'open' to calls for slavery apology but rules out reparations
The British government has never formally apologised for slavery despite repeated calls from a number of Commonwealth leaders.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 31, 2026 at 11:34 AM
BBC, at least get basic facts right on reparations: the slave “trade” is not the same thing as inter-generational plantation slavery. Examine CARICOM’s demands rather than accepting what anti-reparative activists tell you they are.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
'“We are offering a structured dialogue with those affected by the transatlantic slave trade. Listening to calls for a formal apology on behalf of the British state will form an important part of this process and I am open to them.” (Andy Burnham)
Andy Burnham open to calls for formal apology for Britain’s role in slave trade
Exclusive: UK PM to launch drive to restructure debt of poorest Commonwealth countries but rejects demands for reparations
www.theguardian.com
October 31, 2026 at 8:10 AM
'“We are offering a structured dialogue with those affected by the transatlantic slave trade. Listening to calls for a formal apology on behalf of the British state will form an important part of this process and I am open to them.” (Andy Burnham)
by Alan Lester
This is real progress: Burnham is finding a way around the Right’s use of “Reparations” as a scare word. The weaponised $18Tn Brattle Group calculation of what Britain “owes” was never part of the claim for reparative justice. Apology & debt relief are.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...
Andy Burnham open to calls for formal apology for Britain’s role in slave trade
Exclusive: UK PM to launch drive to restructure debt of poorest Commonwealth countries but rejects demands for reparations
www.theguardian.com
October 31, 2026 at 7:19 AM
This is real progress: Burnham is finding a way around the Right’s use of “Reparations” as a scare word. The weaponised $18Tn Brattle Group calculation of what Britain “owes” was never part of the claim for reparative justice. Apology & debt relief are.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Put differently: Don't expect us to share the wealth based on what we took from you through brutal enslavement and further colonial oppression and exploitation, but accept our apology for lasting trauma and impoverishment caused. - Live with it!
Put differently: Don't expect us to share the wealth based on what we took from you through brutal enslavement and further colonial oppression and exploitation, but accept our apology for lasting trauma and impoverishment caused. - Live with it!
British people can’t be made to pay for the wrongs of slavery – but we must confront our complicated history | Andy Burnham
Financial reparations are not the answer. Working together with our Commonwealth family is the best way to ensure prosperity for us all, says UK prime minister Andy Burnham
www.theguardian.com
October 31, 2026 at 8:54 AM
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Put differently: Don't expect us to share the wealth based on what we took from you through brutal enslavement and further colonial oppression and exploitation, but accept our apology for lasting trauma and impoverishment caused. - Live with it!
Put differently: Don't expect us to share the wealth based on what we took from you through brutal enslavement and further colonial oppression and exploitation, but accept our apology for lasting trauma and impoverishment caused. - Live with it!
by Margot C. Finn Reposted by Christopher McCabe
A step in a better direction than a head in the sand.
Paragraphs 1-2 offer a potted history of abolition that ignores black abolitionists and resistance by the enslaved. Here as in the 'reindustrialisation' version of the industrial revolution, the paradigm privileges a model, white Manchester.
Paragraphs 1-2 offer a potted history of abolition that ignores black abolitionists and resistance by the enslaved. Here as in the 'reindustrialisation' version of the industrial revolution, the paradigm privileges a model, white Manchester.
British people can’t be made to pay for the wrongs of slavery – but we must confront our complicated history | Andy Burnham
Financial reparations are not the answer. Working together with our Commonwealth family is the best way to ensure prosperity for us all, says UK prime minister Andy Burnham
www.theguardian.com
October 31, 2026 at 8:28 AM
A step in a better direction than a head in the sand.
Paragraphs 1-2 offer a potted history of abolition that ignores black abolitionists and resistance by the enslaved. Here as in the 'reindustrialisation' version of the industrial revolution, the paradigm privileges a model, white Manchester.
Paragraphs 1-2 offer a potted history of abolition that ignores black abolitionists and resistance by the enslaved. Here as in the 'reindustrialisation' version of the industrial revolution, the paradigm privileges a model, white Manchester.
Reposted by Peter Schöttler
🤷🏿♂️A lot of white people are surprised to learn that reparations have been paid multiple times in history, in the UK and many other slave owning countries.
It's just that the reparations were paid to the slave *owners* (for loss of property) rather than to the slaves (for loss of freedom and labor).
It's just that the reparations were paid to the slave *owners* (for loss of property) rather than to the slaves (for loss of freedom and labor).
Pure fucking moral cowardice. Reparations are not about "holding the people of the UK today responsible" l (not least because that includes a lot of descendents of slaves). It's about recognising that the wealth of this country was built on slavery, and doing something material to correct it.
Burnham 'open' to calls for slavery apology but rules out reparations
The prime minister says Britain must "face up to the past" for its role in the transatlantic slave trade but reparations are "not the right answer".
www.bbc.com
October 31, 2026 at 1:05 PM
🤷🏿♂️A lot of white people are surprised to learn that reparations have been paid multiple times in history, in the UK and many other slave owning countries.
It's just that the reparations were paid to the slave *owners* (for loss of property) rather than to the slaves (for loss of freedom and labor).
It's just that the reparations were paid to the slave *owners* (for loss of property) rather than to the slaves (for loss of freedom and labor).
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...
European generosity following Germany's offer to apologise for the genocide committed in the colony of Southwest Africa to close the chapter once and for all... (cynicism alert)
Andy Burnham open to calls for formal apology for Britain’s role in slave trade
European generosity following Germany's offer to apologise for the genocide committed in the colony of Southwest Africa to close the chapter once and for all... (cynicism alert)
Andy Burnham open to calls for formal apology for Britain’s role in slave trade
Andy Burnham open to calls for formal apology for Britain’s role in slave trade
Exclusive: UK PM to launch drive to restructure debt of poorest Commonwealth countries but rejects demands for reparations
www.theguardian.com
October 31, 2026 at 8:35 AM
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...
European generosity following Germany's offer to apologise for the genocide committed in the colony of Southwest Africa to close the chapter once and for all... (cynicism alert)
Andy Burnham open to calls for formal apology for Britain’s role in slave trade
European generosity following Germany's offer to apologise for the genocide committed in the colony of Southwest Africa to close the chapter once and for all... (cynicism alert)
Andy Burnham open to calls for formal apology for Britain’s role in slave trade
The Yanks have discovered Burnham’s comments about reparations and it’s going as well as we’d expect
October 31, 2026 at 7:50 PM
The Yanks have discovered Burnham’s comments about reparations and it’s going as well as we’d expect