Tharoor Slams Burnham Over Omitted Colonialism Apology
Indian MP Shashi Tharoor says the British prime minister's considered apology for the slave trade leaves out colonialism.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Corruption
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Shashi Tharoor, the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha MP, criticized British Prime Minister Andy Burnham after his government said it would consider a formal apology for Britain's role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Tharoor said the omission of colonialism from the apology is inexplicable and inexcusable.
Why it matters
The apology is part of efforts to strengthen ties with countries in Africa and the Caribbean, and Burnham said Britain must confront its complicated history to protect the future of the Commonwealth. Britain has never formally apologised for destruction and exploitation during its colonial rule.
The British government has said it will consider a formal apology for Britain's involvement in the slave trade, with no decision reported yet. Burnham is scheduled to visit Antigua and Barbuda this week for a meeting of Commonwealth leaders, and whether the apology will be issued there is not stated.
The players
Shashi Tharoor
Tharoor is a Lok Sabha member of parliament for Thiruvananthapuram and the author of Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India.
Andy Burnham
Burnham is the British prime minister who announced his government would consider a formal apology for Britain's role in the slave trade.
The details
Burnham announced the consideration in an article published in The Guardian on Saturday, saying countries affected by the slave trade have asked for an honest conversation about its legacies. Tharoor, author of Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India, responded on X the same day.
Timeline
Saturday: Burnham's Guardian article published and Tharoor posts his response on X.
This week: Burnham scheduled to visit Antigua and Barbuda for a Commonwealth leaders meeting.
Legal Context
Britain has never formally apologised for the destruction and exploitation of its colonial rule, which makes a considered apology for the slave trade a departure from that record. Tharoor's criticism centres on whether an apology that omits colonialism can address the wider legacy of empire.
The apology question affects how Britain's relationships with Commonwealth, African and Caribbean countries develop over time. For readers following Commonwealth affairs, the outcome of the considered apology and the wording used could shape diplomatic ties.
The takeaway
A government apology that omits key parts of a history can draw criticism even when it acknowledges wrongdoing, so the scope of any apology is central to how it is received.
What happens next
Burnham is scheduled to visit Antigua and Barbuda this week for a meeting of Commonwealth leaders, where the apology question may come up.
Further reading
For more on related accountability debates, see the Corruption section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Times of India.
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Should Britain formally apologize for its colonial rule, not only the slave trade?
