Andy Burnham slaps down demands for UK to pay trillions of pounds in slavery reparations as King begins Caribbean tour

PM ANDY Burnham has rejected calls for Britain to pay trillions of pounds in slavery reparations as the King begins a Caribbean tour. Charles and Queen Camilla — who landed in the Bahamas on an RAF jet last night — are expected to face protests over the issue. But the PM’s spokesman said Britain “will not pay reparations”. They added: “We fully acknowledge the devastating tragedy of the transatlantic slave trade and we recognise that its legacy continues to shape lives, communities and societies today.” The King was greeted by a guard of honour in the Bahamas before being whisked to Clifford Park in Nassau — where the Caribbean nation achieved independence from Britain in 1973 — to give a speech. He was expected to say: “It is only right we acknowledge the great suffering of the past, even as we rejoice in the successes of the present and build opportunities for the future.” READ MORE ROYAL NEWS A Palace spokesman said the tour, which will include Guyana and Antigua, is part of a “lifelong” journey by the King to “engage” about the “most shameful aspects of our past”. The PM’s spokesman added: “We cannot change our past but we can and we will continue a dialogue with all of our partners on legacies of the past… But I must be clear that we will not pay reparations.” Mr Burnham will resist pressure to commit to apologise and spend trillions of pounds in reparations to countries harmed by slavery. After participating in the vile trade, Britain went on to abolish slavery in the 19th century and fought to end it across the Empire. Most read in Royals Meanwhile, Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has urged black voters to put pressure on the government over slavery reparations. She previously said: “There are enough people of African descent within our countries, within Britain in particular, that would decide that. “Imagine if they were all rooting for the same cause, rooting for reparative justice – what a difference that would make to policy.”