Corbyn presses Burnham to put words into action on Gaza genocide

Jeremy Corbyn has written to Andy Burnham, reminding him that in October 2023 the Manchester mayor spoke out against the “widespread suffering” caused by Israel in Gaza, and has called on Burnham to back a Gaza genocide inquiry into the UK’s role in the conflict.

He also asked whether Burnham would end all military cooperation with Israel, including arms sales, the supply of F-35 components, and intelligence sharing.

Corbyn presses Burnham

Burnham is standing as the Labour candidate in the Makerfield by-election, hoping to return to parliament to challenge Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership.

Your Party also questioned Burnham’s position on Gaza, asking whether it would differ from Starmer’s.

Burnham has not specified his position on arms sales to Israel or other issues like the proscription of Palestine Action. He has, however, been a member or supporter of the Labour Friends of Israel group since at least 2015.

Matt Kennard called Burnham “Starmer with a Scouse accent.” He noted that during the Labour leader elections in 2015, he stated that the first trip as Labour leader would be to Israel.

Private Members Bill

In June 2025,  Corbyn introduced a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament calling for an independent public inquiry into Britain’s involvement in Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

The Bill had the support of more than 50 MPs, including Labour MPs Richard Burgon, Nadia Whittome, Ian Byrne, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, and several human rights organisations. 

Starmer’s government rejected the need for an inquiry, claiming:

there is no confusion about UK military operations in Gaza.

Then, Corbyn’s independently convened Gaza Tribunal in September, with two international law specialists, which concluded that the British government had been an active participant in one of the “greatest crimes of our time.”

Burnham – pick a side quickly! Now that Starmer is campaigning for you, are you going to choose his policies too?

Featured image via Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images

By The Canary

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