UK's likely next PM, Andy Burnham, apologises for Labour’s Gaza stance

"We’ve got to do more to put pressure on the Israeli government ... But let’s be honest, the UK was too slow to call for a ceasefire,” he says

Andy Burnham, British member of parliament (MP) for Makerfield, speaks with the media as he leaves following a radio interview on LBC's "Tonight with Andrew Marr", in London, Britain, Jul 2, 2026. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes

Andy Burnham, who is expected to be named as Britain's new prime minister later this month, wants to exert more pressure on the Israeli government over its actions in Gaza, the Guardian reported on Thursday.

In an interview with the newspaper, Burnham was critical of how current Prime Minister Keir Starmer had initially reacted to Israel's military campaign in Gaza in October 2023, which came after an attack on Israel by Hamas-led gunmen.

"We’ve got to do more to put pressure on the Israeli government ... Yes, we have taken some important steps ... But let’s be honest, the UK was too slow to call for a ceasefire. And we must now do more to strengthen our approach," he said.

Starmer initially resisted calls from within his party, including from Burnham who was a regional mayor at the time, to demand a ceasefire, instead backing a humanitarian pause in the fighting.

He later called for a ceasefire and has since criticised the Israeli government's conduct in Gaza. His government has imposed sanctions against far-right Israeli cabinet ministers and formally recognised a Palestinian state.

Although a ceasefire last year brought the two-year war to an end, Israel's military has continued to carry out strikes in Gaza during the wider regional conflict involving Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, citing threats or fire from Hamas.

"We need to do more, which includes looking at further sanctions, both on those involved in the violence in Gaza but also looking at measures to ban trade in goods with illegal settlements,” Burnham said.