HULL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03: A statue of British politician William Wilberforce is displayed on November 03, 2026 in Hull, England. At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced that the UK government is open to a formal apology for its historic role in the transatlantic slave trade. Burnham launched a "structured dialogue" to consult with the African and Caribbean nations most affected by the legacy of chattel slavery to help shape the wording and framework of an expected formal state apology. While the Prime Minister completely ruled out paying financial reparations or accepting modern-day financial liability, he countered this by pledging a £40 million investment into green energy projects for the Caribbean and proposing a "debt reset" framework to assist economically vulnerable Commonwealth states. This move towards a formal state apology marks a significant shift from previous British governments, building upon the decades of parliamentary advocacy led by William Wilberforce that ultimately culminated in the UK abolishing slavery across most of its empire in 1833. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)