Andy Burnham apologises for Labour’s early response to Gaza war

Andy Burnham has apologised for Labour’s initial response to the war in Gaza, saying the party was too slow to call for a ceasefire. In an interview with the BBC, the Greater Manchester mayor said he regretted that delay and argued the government should have taken a firmer line.

Burnham said pressure should be increased on the Israeli government, including a ban on trade in goods from illegal settlements. He also said there was growing evidence that war crimes may have been committed, while stressing that only international courts can make that determination.

His remarks revisit a split that emerged in late 2023, when Burnham and other Labour figures backed a ceasefire before Sir Keir Starmer shifted the party’s position. The issue became one of the most contentious internal debates in Labour during the early months of the conflict.

The comments come as debate continues over how western governments should respond to the war and to Israel’s conduct in Gaza. Burnham’s intervention adds to that wider discussion from one of Labour’s most prominent elected figures outside Westminster.