Burnham's Gaza apology marks 'reset moment' as Labour courts progressive voters

Labour's handling of the Gaza conflict has been a persistent challenge, particularly following remarks made by leader Keir Starmer in late 2023. During a broadcast interview shortly after the Hamas attack on Israel, Starmer asserted Israel's right to self-defense but also appeared to suggest it had the right to withhold power and water from Palestinian civilians. While his team later clarified the comments, insisting they were misinterpreted, the remarks quickly spread on social media, drawing strong criticism from the party's left wing.

The fallout was immediate and damaging. Dozens of Muslim councillors threatened to leave the party, and a subsequent letter from Starmer aimed at addressing their anxieties was deemed insufficient by many. Tensions escalated the following month when eight frontbenchers resigned after rebelling on a vote for a ceasefire, highlighting a deep-seated division within Labour on the issue.

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Obviously, everything should be done within international law.

This internal conflict reflects Labour's complicated history with the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Historically supportive of Israel's creation, the party's stance evolved to include criticism of Israeli government actions, particularly regarding the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. Under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, this criticism sometimes veered into antisemitism, leading to an EHRC investigation. Some believe Starmer's zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism, which led to the expulsion of left-wing members, complicated his response to Gaza, as he sought to distance himself from his predecessor.

As Labour gained power in 2024, international condemnation of Israel's actions grew, yet the government struggled to convince the British public that it was doing enough. "People just got stuck on that LBC interview. Keir never recovered from it," one senior Labour figure lamented. The party has continued to lose support among progressive voters, a key demographic that Andy Burnham is now trying to re-engage.

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People just got stuck on that LBC interview. Keir never recovered from it. Whatever we did – and it was a lot – people didn’t seem to notice it.