Andy Burnham has signalled a new era for Labour by indicating that he will oversee a tougher policy on Israel in support of Gaza under his leadership, heralding a marked shift in the party’s approach to the Middle East conflict.
The prime-minister-in-waiting issued a video on social media in which he dramatically apologised for Labour’s response to the conflict in Gaza, and admitted that the government had been too slow in calling for a ceasefire.
In the video, he said: “I know many people feel that at the start of Israel’s military action in Gaza, my party didn’t get it right – and I am sorry about that. The response has too often not been good enough. We need to do better.”
Mr Burnham’s intervention is significant, as the government’s stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict has previously driven a more progressive element, from Labour to Zack Polanski’s Greens, who adopt a pro-Gaza position.
The Makerfield MP’s change of strategy was revealed just hours before he received 322 nominations to be the next leader – a figure that confirms nobody else can challenge him, with only 81 MPs still to make a nomination. It signals a new epoch under his leadership, and a break from the approach of the Starmer government, which insisted that Israel “has a right to defend itself”.
It means that arms sales to Israel could be banned under Mr Burnham’s leadership, while it is understood that Foreign Office ministers are already looking at ways of preventing goods and services from the settlements making it into the UK, without a knock-on effect on legitimate trade with Israel.
The move follows Mr Burnham writing to Labour MPs to make it clear that he will “no longer use the whips system to stifle debate”. A number of MPs have been suspended during the past two years following disagreements on welfare, child benefit and jury trials.
The incoming prime minister’s decision to change tack on a major plank of foreign policy could be accompanied by changes to defence and economic policy.
In his video, Mr Burnham apologised for Labour’s initial response to Israel’s military action in Gaza, admitting that the party “didn’t get it right”. It came as nominations opened on Thursday to replace Sir Keir Starmer as leader of the Labour Party, with Mr Burnham the only candidate coming forward.
After Mr Burnham nominated himself, a series of Labour MPs posted their nomination forms for him on X in a sign of solidarity. However, the Makerfield MP and former Greater Manchester mayor has been left in no doubt by angry backbenchers that he needs to take a different approach from Sir Keir, whose time in office saw the party reach record low support in the opinion polls.
Mr Burnham, who is expected to take over as prime minister on 20 July, said the party needs to “do better” under his leadership and that he would put more pressure on the Israeli government through sanctions on both individuals and entities, as he sought to win back voters who had abandoned the party over its position on Gaza.
“We’ve got to do more to put pressure on the Israeli government ... Yes, we have taken some important steps ... But let’s be honest, the UK was too slow to call for a ceasefire. And we must now do more to strengthen our approach.”
His remarks came after swathes of Labour voters abandoned the party over its position on Israel and Palestine, particularly in areas with a high Muslim population. The Green Party in particular benefited from taking a much more pro-Gaza stance.
Rachael Maskell, the left-wing MP for York Central, welcomed Mr Burnham’s remarks, saying: “The brutality levied against the Palestinian people continues to cause such devastation and trauma, so Andy Burnham is right to recognise the failings of the outgoing Labour leadership, who did not do everything possible to prevent this genocide.”
But Mr Burnham stopped short of demands to call the attacks on Gaza a “genocide”.
“I have been absolutely appalled by what I’ve seen and read about the destruction of Gaza. There’s increasing evidence that war crimes appear to have been committed,” he said. “There must be accountability for the depth of the suffering the people of Gaza have experienced. Ultimately, however, it must be for the international courts to determine, rather than politicians.”
Labour Friends of Israel are still a strong group within the party, with support from major figures including the chancellor Rachel Reeves, the welfare secretary Pat McFadden, and the business secretary Peter Kyle, and they were instrumental in guiding Sir Keir’s policies on the Middle East crisis.
Mr Burnham did go out of his way, though, to praise some of the actions taken by Sir Keir’s government, including recognising Palestine as a state and sanctioning Israeli ministers who supported extremist settlers. But he has now in effect opened the door to banning more weapons sales to Israel, in a move that could fracture the Labour Party again. An outright ban on weapons sales to Israel is a measure that has been demanded by many Labour MPs on the left of the party.
Sir Keir has said that dealing with the “scourge of antisemitism” in Labour under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership is part of his legacy, as he prepares to step down as Labour leader.
Mr Burnham also tried to signal that he would not accept antisemitism in the party, and again strongly condemned the 7 October attacks on Israel, as well as terrorist attacks on synagogues and Jews in Golders Green in London, and in Heaton Park in Manchester.
The intervention comes as the Middle East is set to continue to dominate foreign policy, with Donald Trump’s war against Iran – with the support of Israel – on the brink of flaring up again after attacks were launched from both sides.
Mr Burnham has suggested he will continue Sir Keir’s policy of not getting involved in the war, with the exception of defensive operations if Iran attacks UK assets or allies. But there is still speculation over his approach to President Trump, and whether he will be tougher than Sir Keir has been in his dealings with the US president.
