UK premier-in-waiting Andy Burnham has apologised for Labour’s initial response to Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, saying the party "didn’t get it right" and pledging a tougher approach towards the Israeli government if he becomes prime minister.
Speaking to The Guardian, Burnham acknowledged criticism of Labour’s handling of Israel’s brutal assault on Gaza and said the party’s response had “too often not been good enough.”
"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," he said. "We need to do better."
Future Labour government would increase pressure
Burnham said a Labour government under his leadership would consider stronger measures against Israel, including additional sanctions on individuals and entities and a possible ban on trade in goods from illegal settlements.
"We’ve got to do more to put pressure on the Israeli government," he said, adding that the UK had been too slow to call for a ceasefire.
The comments come as Burnham, who is expected to become Labour leader and potentially the next UK prime minister, seeks to address concerns among party members and voters over its position on the Gaza genocide.
Burnham calls for accountability over Gaza suffering
The Labour figure said he had been "absolutely appalled" by the destruction in Gaza and warned that there must be accountability for the suffering of Palestinian civilians.
"There’s increasing evidence that war crimes appear to have been committed," Burnham said, adding that legal determinations such as genocide should be made by international courts rather than politicians.
He described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "a scar on our collective conscience," citing civilian deaths, limited aid access and the expansion of Israeli military control.
Burnham also criticised violence by illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, as well as illegal settlement expansion, saying such developments make a two-state solution more difficult.
Balancing Israel ties and criticism of Netanyahu government
Burnham said there was "no contradiction between a zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism and holding the Netanyahu government to account."
"I will always take a fair and balanced approach and stand up for what is right," he said.
His position reflects a shift that has developed alongside wider changes within Labour. In 2023, while serving as mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, breaking with the national leadership at the time.
He later backed calls for the formal recognition of a Palestinian state and has continued to support a two-state solution while opposing illegal Israeli settlement expansion.
