Burnham apologises for Gaza stance, pledges settlement trade ban

Andy Burnham has apologised for Labour’s initial response to Israel’s military action in Gaza, stating the party “didn’t get it right” and signalling a tougher policy that includes a potential ban on trade with illegal settlements.

The intervention from the prime minister-in-waiting points to a future recalibration of British trade policy. Foreign Office ministers are already exploring how to block settlement goods from entering the UK without disrupting legitimate Israeli trade, a logistical challenge that would require strict new customs enforcement.

Burnham’s shift also carries implications for the defence sector. He acknowledged the government had restricted arms licences so no British bombs or bullets are used by the Israel Defense Forces. However, he faces pressure from the left to ban all arms shipments, including spare parts for F-35 fighter jets, which would represent a significant escalation of existing export controls.

Green party deputy leader Mothin Ali accused Burnham of hiding behind international courts to avoid acknowledging war crimes, arguing such an admission would legally trigger an immediate halt to all UK arms sales.

The apology marks an explicit attempt to recapture progressive voters who abandoned Labour over the conflict. An Opinium poll in June found that two-thirds of Labour voters who switched to the Greens cited the party’s position on Gaza as a factor. Many in the party believe Keir Starmer permanently lost public trust on the issue after taking almost ten days to clarify early remarks about Israel’s right to withhold water and power from Gaza.

Burnham indicated he would apply further sanctions targeting individuals involved in violence in Gaza and the West Bank. He criticised the expansion of illegal settlements, arguing that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is attempting to make a two-state solution impossible.

Despite the harder line, Burnham sought to reassure Jewish communities, emphasising a zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism and condemning Hamas’s 7 October attacks. He stopped short of describing the situation in Gaza as a genocide, stating that while there is “increasing evidence” of war crimes, the ultimate ruling belongs to international courts.