Exclusive: UK PM to launch drive to restructure debt of poorest Commonwealth countries but rejects demands for reparations

• British people can’t be made to pay for the wrongs of slavery – but we must confront our complicated history | Andy Burnham

Andy Burnham has gone further than any previous prime minister towards offering a formal apology for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade, in a Guardian article ahead of a Commonwealth leaders’ summit where the subject is expected to dominate.

As he prepares to fly to the Caribbean next week, the prime minister said he was open to calls for an official apology on behalf of the state and offered formal talks to those affected, including individual countries and campaign groups at home and abroad.

Royal tour of Caribbean comes as poll suggests majority support among younger Britons for dialogue on slavery reparations

King Charles has confirmed he will discuss the legacy of slavery at a summit with Commonwealth leaders as he begins his Caribbean tour.

The king arrived in the Bahamas on Tuesday to a ceremonial welcome and attended a youth rally at Clifford Park, the site where the country officially gained its independence from British colonial rule in 1973.