Andy Burnham's remarks on the war in Gaza have sparked a major political debate across the United Kingdom after the incoming British prime minister pledged to take a tougher approach toward Israel and criticized the Labour Party's handling of the conflict under current Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Burnham acknowledged that Labour failed to take the "right position" during the early stages of the war, arguing that the party should have called for a ceasefire much sooner. Speaking to The Guardian, he said many voters believed Labour's response had fallen short and admitted the party needed to "do better."
His comments prompted strong criticism from leading Jewish organizations in Britain, including the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council. The groups said they had expressed serious concerns to Burnham's team over his recent remarks on Israel and Gaza.
While welcoming Burnham's rejection of antisemitism and his insistence that criticizing the Israeli government is not inherently antisemitic, the organizations stressed the importance of confronting all forms of antisemitism and warned that political criticism must not turn into hostility toward Jewish people or Israelis.
Burnham defended his position, arguing that holding the Israeli government accountable for potential violations of international law should not be confused with antisemitism. He said responding to credible allegations of international law violations is part of the British government's responsibility.
His remarks have also generated debate within the Labour Party. Alex Hearn, co-director of Labour Against Antisemitism, questioned why foreign policy had become one of Burnham's first priorities while Britain continues to face major domestic challenges, including pressures on healthcare, the justice system, and the economy.
Several Labour MPs also criticized Burnham's proposal to adopt a tougher stance toward the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Labour MP Graham Stringer warned that such an approach could weaken Britain's relationship with one of its closest allies in the Middle East.
Burnham has said that if he takes office next week, his government will consider imposing additional sanctions on Israeli individuals and organizations. He also indicated that Britain could examine trade restrictions on products originating from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, which the UK considers illegal under international law.
He said there is "growing evidence" of possible war crimes in Gaza but emphasized that determining whether genocide has occurred is a matter for international courts rather than politicians.
Describing the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "a stain on our collective conscience," Burnham called the scenes emerging from the territory "horrific" and urged further measures to hold those responsible for violence accountable. He also suggested reviewing Britain's arms export policies toward Israel.
The controversy has reopened longstanding divisions within the Labour Party over its response to the Gaza war, dating back to the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 attacks.
Starmer faced widespread criticism early in the conflict after saying Israel had the right to take measures that critics argued included cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza.
Since then, Labour's position has shifted from broadly supporting Israel's response to backing a sustainable ceasefire, later calling for an immediate ceasefire, and eventually supporting recognition of a Palestinian state.
Despite those changes, the party has struggled to regain support among many Muslim and left-wing voters. According to an Opinium poll conducted for the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in June, around two-thirds of former Labour voters who later switched to the Green Party said Labour's stance on the Gaza war was a key reason for changing their political support.
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