UK Labour Leader Burnham Apologizes for Party's Gaza Response, Calls for Stronger Action

Andy Burnham, the United Kingdom's likely next prime minister, has apologized for the Labour Party's initial response to Israel's actions in Gaza, stating that the party "got it wrong" and its response "has not been good enough."

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Many people feel that at the start of Israel’s military operation in Gaza, my party didn’t get it right and I am sorry about that.

In a video message posted on X on Thursday, Burnham acknowledged that many people felt the party's initial stance on Israel's military operation in Gaza was incorrect. He outlined that while the UK had taken some steps, such as recognizing Palestine and imposing sanctions on Israeli ministers, the country was too slow to call for a ceasefire. Burnham emphasized the need for the UK to strengthen its approach.

Burnham highlighted ongoing Palestinian deaths in Gaza attacks despite a truce and the surge in settler violence and illegal settlement expansion in occupied Palestinian territory. He called for further sanctions on individuals involved in violence in Gaza and measures to ban trade with illegal settlements, though he did not specify who should be sanctioned.

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The response has not been good enough. We needed to be better.

While urging increased pressure on the Israeli government, Burnham stopped short of accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, a stance taken by some Labour lawmakers. He noted the "increasing evidence that war crimes appear to have been committed" but stated that international law should determine such matters. He also stressed the importance of criticizing events in Gaza while simultaneously condemning Hamas's October 7 attack and subsequent anti-Semitic violence in Britain.

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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.

The Labour Party under Keir Starmer faced significant criticism from supporters for its perceived weak response to the conflict in Gaza, including resistance to calls for an immediate ceasefire. This led many, particularly younger supporters, to shift their allegiance towards the Green Party.

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That is why we need to do more, which includes looking at further sanctions on those involved in the violence in Gaza but also looking at measures to ban trading goods with illegal settlements.