Andy Burnham has signaled openness to a formal apology for Britain's role in the transatlantic slave trade, moving further than previous prime ministers on the issue. The prime minister said he would consider an official apology on behalf of the state and offered formal talks to affected countries and campaign groups. Burnham made these comments in a Guardian article ahead of a Commonwealth leaders' summit in the Caribbean where slavery reparations are expected to be a central topic. He rejected demands for reparations payments, stating that British people cannot be made to pay for historical wrongs. Burnham plans to launch an initiative to restructure debt for the poorest Commonwealth countries.