Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said that an apology for slavery would not bring costs for the UK taxpayer, BBC News reported. Speaking to the BBC's Newscast, Miliband said Britain cannot sweep its past "under the carpet."

The Guardian, in a live political blog written by Andrew Sparrow, reported that Miliband criticised Blair's slavery statement and defended Andy Burnham's plan for what the headline described as a proper apology. The blog said Burnham was still at the Commonwealth summit in Antigua.

According to The Guardian, Miliband also added that the UK will not shift its position on reparations. The live blog's summary did not give further detail on that position or on the terms of the apology Burnham has proposed.

The BBC and Guardian accounts were both brief summaries rather than full transcripts. The BBC report focused on the cost of an apology to taxpayers, while The Guardian report focused on the dispute over Blair's statement and the position on reparations. Neither summary described the amount of any cost or the wording of any apology.

Taken together, the reports show Miliband rejecting the idea that an apology would add to public spending, and placing the government's stance on slavery within a wider argument over how the past should be addressed. The sources available for this report did not indicate how the debate will proceed.

Sources: BBC News: Miliband says slavery apology will not bring costs for UK taxpayer; The Guardian: Miliband criticises Blair’s slavery statement and defends Burnham’s plan for proper apology - UK politics live.