Andy Burnham apologises for Labour's initial response to Gaza war
Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has apologised for Labour's handling of its early response to the Gaza conflict. Burnham and several other Labour MPs had publicly called for a ceasefire by late October 2023, a position that directly contradicted Sir Keir Starmer's leadership stance at the time.
Starmer initially resisted ceasefire calls, instead emphasizing Israel's right to defend itself following Hamas's October 7 attack. This created visible fractures within the Labour party as grassroots members and some elected officials demanded a stronger pro-Palestinian position.
Burnham's apology signals a shift in how some senior Labour figures now view their party's early messaging on the conflict. His willingness to publicly regret Labour's initial response underscores the tension that persisted between the leadership and the broader party membership throughout the early stages of the war.
The timing of Burnham's remarks reflects Labour's broader attempt to navigate a deeply polarizing issue. The party faced pressure from multiple directions. Pro-Israel supporters backed Starmer's initial measured approach, while pro-Palestinian activists and left-leaning members criticized the party for insufficient advocacy toward Gaza's civilian population.
By late 2023 and into 2024, Labour's position on Gaza evolved, eventually aligning more closely with ceasefire demands. Starmer's stance shifted as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepened and public opinion increasingly favored de-escalation.
Burnham's apology represents a public acknowledgment that Labour's initial response fell short of the moment's moral gravity. His comments carry weight as a prominent party figure who represents one of England's largest urban constituencies. The apology may help the party reconcile internal divisions that the Gaza conflict exposed, though it also highlights how leadership and membership priorities diverged during a defining foreign policy moment.