UK's Apology on Slavery Incomplete Without Acknowledging Colonialism: Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has criticised UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham for considering a formal apology for Britain's role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade while excluding its colonial history, calling the omission "inexplicable and inexcusable".

Tharoor's remarks came after Burnham said his government would consider apologising for Britain's involvement in the slave trade for the first time, as it seeks to strengthen relations with countries in Africa and the Caribbean.

Writing in The Guardian on Saturday, Burnham said Britain needed to acknowledge its "complicated history" to protect and strengthen the Commonwealth, an association of 56 independent nations that evolved from the British Empire.

He noted that Commonwealth members affected by the slave trade had long sought an honest discussion about its legacy, adding that Britain's reluctance to address the issue had damaged the organisation's ability to function.

Reacting to the statement in a post on X, Tharoor welcomed the possibility of a formal apology for slavery but questioned why colonialism had been left out. He said he had long maintained that while financial reparations for Britain's historical actions were difficult to quantify, moral atonement for the consequences of colonialism was indispensable.

Tharoor said Britain had never offered a simple apology for the "loot, pillage, death and destruction" inflicted on millions of innocent people during the colonial era. He added that the suffering and exploitation caused by British imperialism remained a deeply shameful chapter in history and deserved formal acknowledgement.

The Thiruvananthapuram MP has repeatedly raised the issue of British colonial exploitation, particularly the systematic drain of India's wealth during imperial rule. He is also the author of Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India, which examines the economic and social consequences of British colonialism in the country.

Burnham is scheduled to travel to Antigua and Barbuda this week to attend a meeting of Commonwealth leaders, where the issue of Britain's historical legacy is expected to remain relevant.