UK PM Burnham signals possible apology for Britain’s role in slave trade

UK PM Burnham indicates Britain may apologise for role in slave trade (File photo) The UK could issue its first apology for its role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham stressing the need for Britain to acknowledge its “complicated history” to safeguard the Commonwealth, a grouping of 56 independent nations that evolved from the British Empire.“For years, those members of the Commonwealth affected by the slave trade have asked for an honest conversation about the legacies of slavery. By sticking our heads in the sand, we have damaged the ability of the Commonwealth to function," he wrote in The Guardian on Saturday.Burnham said his government would begin a “structured dialogue” with those affected by slavery and consider calls for a formal state apology, but would continue to resist demands for reparations.“I do not think that British people today can be held liable for historical wrongs, however heinous, that happened in a different age under different laws and in which they played no personal part,” he added.Instead, he pledged to address contemporary challenges facing Commonwealth nations, including mounting debt in developing countries. He also p...