Prime Ministers usually wait until they have been in office a little while before issuing apologies. Andy Burnham made one before he even got to Downing Street – about Gaza. But whatever he’s planning, it won’t be enough to solve Labour’s Gaza problem.
After his by-election campaign, Burnham called Gaza ‘a scar on our collective conscience’ and posted a video on X saying Labour’s initial response to Israel’s actions there had caused ‘huge’ hurt. ‘We got it wrong and I am sorry for that.’ The apology did demonstrate the sure political touch that has propelled him to No. 10. It was in stark contrast to flat-footed remarks by Keir Starmer before he took office – retracted a week later – in which he said Israel had the right to cut off food and power to Gaza.
So what will Burnham do now to throw some red meat to former (or current) Labour supporters who are furious about Gaza? As a first step, there will probably be a ban on imports from settlements in the West Bank, where the government of Benjamin Netanyahu has been busy trying to redraw the map and expand Israel’s borders. Burnham has hinted at this and it was already being considered by his predecessor.
In 21 constituencies Muslims make up more than 30 per cent of the population and are deserting Labour
