The Newshound

Ed Miliband vows taxpayers won't pay 'a penny more' for slavery apology as 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, 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.
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.
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.
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.

Ed Miliband broke with Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Wednesday by giving an explicit "not a penny more" guarantee to British taxpayers over the Commonwealth slavery apology row, after Burnham repeatedly refused to offer the same assurance. Appearing on the BBC's Newscast podcast, Miliband said a formal apology could be in place ahead of Britain's hosting of the G20 in Manchester next November. The diverging stances laid bare a sharp divide between No 10 and the Foreign Office over one of the most charged questions in Commonwealth history.

Burnham has already committed £40m into Caribbean green-energy projects and declined three times at the CHOGM summit in Antigua to guarantee no extra taxpayer money would flow to Commonwealth nations.

Miliband attacked Tony Blair's 2006 "sorry, not sorry" remarks, saying No 10 walked them back — and all-but confirmed Burnham will issue a full formal apology within the year.

Reform's Rupert Lowe has tabled a parliamentary motion to reject any slavery apology or reparations outright, as the King told CHOGM delegates "we cannot change the past."

MoreGB NewsRupert Lowe tables parliamentary motion to reject calls for slavery apology or reparationsThe SunPM refuses to rule out taxpayer cash for Commonwealth nations after apology rowDaily MailQUENTIN LETTS: From the slavery row to the EU, our Mr Bean of a Foreign Secretary is a national liabilityEvening StandardUK taxpayers will not pay penny more for new approach to Commonwealth – MilibandThe IndependentMiliband promises taxpayers will not pay for new Commonwealth approachDaily MailMinisters' mixed signals on whether slavery apology will cost taxpayerLBCUK taxpayers will not pay penny more for PM's new approach to Commonwealth, Miliband insistsHuffPost UKEd Miliband Slams Tony Blair For Not Apologising For Britain's Role In The Slave TradeBBC News - PoliticsMiliband says slavery apology will not bring costs for UK taxpayerLBCBurnham refuses to commit to greater Commonwealth funding as PM dodges reparations questionsEvening StandardPM denies claims offer of slavery apology talks made things difficult for KingDaily MailTwo-thirds of Britons oppose paying slavery reparations
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