Andy Burnham apologizes for Labour's Gaza response
Andy Burnham, the sole candidate for the Labour leadership, apologized for Labour's initial response to Israel's actions in Gaza, signaling a potential shift in policy under his likely premiership.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Andy Burnham has apologised for Labour's initial response to Israel's military action in Gaza, signalling a shift in tone as he moves closer to becoming the party's leader and prime minister.
In a video posted on social media, Burnham said: "I know many people feel that at the start of Israel's military action in Gaza, my party didn't get it right, and I am sorry about that. The response has too often not been good enough. We need to do better." He added that the UK was "too slow to call for a ceasefire" and said more pressure should be put on the Israeli government, including further sanctions on those involved in violence in Gaza and against illegal settlers.
The apology comes as nominations for the Labour leadership opened, with Burnham the only candidate. He needed 81 MPs to back him to get on the ballot; he received 322 nominations on the first day, just one short of the number that would make it mathematically impossible for any other candidate to come forward. With no other contenders, he is almost certain to be confirmed as Labour leader next week and become prime minister the following week.
Burnham's remarks are seen as a deliberate distancing from the stance taken by his predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer, in the aftermath of the 7 October 2023 attacks. Starmer faced heavy criticism for an interview in which he said Israel had the right to cut off water and power supplies to Gaza, though he later acknowledged the answer was poorly phrased. Burnham did not directly criticise Starmer but acknowledged the "huge hurt" that the initial response caused within the party.
The shift in language has drawn mixed reactions. Some commentators have welcomed the move as a necessary reset of Labour's position on the Middle East, while others have criticised it as an unnecessary apology that risks alienating voters. Burnham's team has emphasised that he remains fully supportive of Israel's right to defend itself and its right to exist, but believes the government's tone was wrong.
Beyond Gaza, Burnham's likely premiership has prompted discussion of his policy agenda. A policy document co-authored by Miatta Fahnbulleh, one of his key advisers, outlines plans for devolving housing powers and investment to local authorities, with a focus on estate regeneration and affordable homes. Fahnbulleh has also hinted at possible flexibility on fiscal rules to allow more borrowing for investment, and has suggested that local authorities should have more say over council tax banding.
With the leadership contest effectively over, attention is now turning to the transition of power. Burnham is expected to be formally elected as Labour leader a week tomorrow and to become prime minister a week on Monday.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One | Channel 4 | GB News | ITV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andy Burnham apologised for Labour's initial response to the Gaza conflict. | · | |||
| Andy Burnham received 322 nominations from Labour MPs. | · | |||
| Andy Burnham was widely expected to become Labour leader and prime minister, possibly by 17-20 July. | · | |||
| Andy Burnham was the only declared candidate for the Labour leadership. | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This channel focused on the apology as a 'pivot' in language and tone, linking it directly to Keir Starmer's earlier controversial LBC interview. It provided detailed context on the original remarks and the political fallout, and framed the apology as a tacit repositioning ahead of Burnham's likely leadership. The tone was analytical and neutral, emphasising the process and the significance of the shift.
- “a pivot certainly in language and tone as far as he sees how labor should approach at the Middle East”
- “my party didn't get it right the response hasn't been good enough the UK was too slow to call for a ceasefire”
- “I think we should see this in the context of him stepping up how he will approach government”
This segment emphasised the near-certainty of Burnham's victory, reporting that he was only one MP short of making it impossible for anyone else to stand. It described the apology as 'pretty spikily' distancing himself from the previous government stance, and noted that he also mentioned evidence of war crimes in Gaza. The tone was factual and process-oriented, with a focus on the mechanics of the leadership contest.
- “pretty spikily really around the question of Labour and therefore the government stance on the Middle East”
- “Andy Burnham saying that he acknowledges the huge hurt that that caused that he's sorry about it”
- “he also said there is increasing evidence that war crimes have been committed in Gaza”
Channel 4 focused on the policy implications of a Burnham premiership, including housing, devolution, and fiscal rules, through an interview with adviser Miatta Fahnbulleh. The apology was presented as a 'further indication about the new direction of travel' for the government. The tone was inquisitive and slightly probing, with a mix of policy detail and political analysis.
- “I know many people feel that at the start of Israel's military action in Gaza, my party didn't get it right, and I am sorry about that.”
- “The response has too often not been good enough. We need to do better.”
- “the UK was too slow to call for a ceasefire, and we must now do more to strengthen our approach.”
GB News adopted a critical, opinion-driven tone, framing the apology as an 'own goal' and 'terrible politics.' The panel discussion focused on the perceived weakness of the apology and questioned its necessity, with one panellist arguing that Israel's actions were justified. The channel also highlighted the Daily Mail's characterisation of the leadership contest as a 'shameless stitch-up.' The coverage was heavily slanted against Burnham.
- “This is an absolute sort of own goal straight onto the pitch.”
- “It's so maddening because it's just such terrible politics.”
- “Andy Burnham says sorry for Labour's reaction to the war in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas.”
Broadcast Timeline
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