Burnham admits Labour ‘got it wrong’ on Gaza as pressure grows for full break with Israel

Andy Burnham, the frontrunner to become Britain’s next prime minister, has apologised for Labour’s initial response to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, admitting that the party “got it wrong.” Burnham promised  a tougher approach towards Israel, including possible further sanctions and a ban on trade with illegal settlements.

“Labour’s initial response to the treatment of Gaza caused huge hurt. We got it wrong and I am sorry for that,” Burnham said in a video message posted on X yesterday, in what is seen as an attempt to repair the damage caused by Labour leader Keir Starmer.

Within days of Israel launching its genocide on Gaza Starmer said Israel has the right to cut power and water in Gaza. The comments sparked national outrage and triggered a crises within Labour.

“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,” Burnham added. “The response has not been good enough. We needed to be better.”

Burnham, who has emerged as the frontrunner to succeed Starmer, acknowledged that the UK had taken some steps, including recognising the State of Palestine, imposing sanctions on Israeli far-right ministers and placing restrictions on violent settlers. However, he conceded that Britain had moved too slowly.

Read: UK Labour Party shaken by string of resignations over stance on Gaza

“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,” said Burnham.

Burnham’s remarks come as Labour continues to face deep anger from British voters over its response to Israel’s assault on Gaza. Under Starmer, the party resisted calls for an immediate ceasefire in the early months of the killing and faced accusations of giving political cover to Israel as the death toll mounted.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since a US-brokered truce was agreed in October. Israel has also continued attacks across the enclave, while settler violence and illegal settlement expansion have intensified across the illegally Occupied West Bank.

“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,” Burnham said.

He added that Britain must “do more to put pressure on the Israeli government”, although he stopped short of accusing Israel of genocide. Several Labour lawmakers, human rights experts and genocide scholars have already used the term to describe Israel’s conduct in Gaza.

Burnham said there was “increasing evidence that war crimes appear to have been committed,” but insisted that legal determinations should rest with international courts.

The apology has been welcomed by some Labour figures as a significant shift in tone. However, critics warned that words alone would not repair the damage caused by Labour’s position over the past two and a half years.

Genocide scholar Martin Shaw, who last week argued in Byline Times that Burnham must “break with Israel”, said the apology raised further questions about those who had opposed the war from the beginning.