Miliband insists the slavery apology will not cost taxpayers 'a penny more' while Burnham refuses to give the same guarantee
King Charles III, whose remarks drew no commitment to reparations, with Buckingham Palace insisting he would not be responsible for delivering any apology.King Charles III and Queen Camilla host Commonwealth Heads of State and their partners at an official dinner in Antigua and Barbuda, as Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband ruled out reparations entirely, insisting the government's structured dialogue would conclude within a year.The Queen enjoying a steel pan band performance, as Ed Miliband insisted a £40 million green energy package for Caribbean Commonwealth nations was entirely unrelated to any slavery apology process.Tables set for an official Commonwealth Heads of Government dinner in Antigua; Andy Burnham announced a £40 million green energy package for Caribbean nations at the summit, though Ed Miliband insisted it was unrelated to any apology process.Queen Camilla met women advocating for others across the Commonwealth, including survivors of abuse, as Andy Burnham separately opened formal slavery apology talks at the Antigua summit.
Ed Miliband clashed directly with Andy Burnham's silence on Wednesday, insisting in a BBC Newscast interview that the government's new Commonwealth approach would not cost British taxpayers anything extra — while the Prime Minister had twice refused to give the same guarantee. Miliband confirmed a formal slavery apology is on course to arrive by the G20 summit in Manchester next November. Burnham is at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua, where he is expected to announce a £40 million green energy package for Caribbean nations.
Miliband attacked Tony Blair's 2006 'deep sorrow and regret' statement as a 'sorry, not sorry' that No10 subsequently walked back.
King Charles, speaking at CHOGM, pointedly avoided any apology, saying 'we cannot change the past' while calling the slave trade a 'shameful chapter'.
Miliband said a 'structured dialogue' with Commonwealth partners on the apology is expected to conclude within a year, ruling out reparations entirely.
