Burnham admits Labour ‘didn’t get it right’ on Gaza ceasefire timing

Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has acknowledged that the Labour Party failed to adequately address the situation in Gaza, admitting the party “didn’t get it right” in its response to the conflict. The comments were made during a podcast conversation with The Guardian’s political editor, Pippa Crerar, which was published as part of the outlet’s Politics Weekly series.

Speaking in the episode, Burnham offered an apology for what he described as the party’s “slow response” in calling for a ceasefire. The reflection comes in the context of ongoing scrutiny regarding Labour’s stance on the Israel-Gaza war, with the mayor seeking to clarify the party’s internal deliberations and public positioning during the early stages of the crisis.

Despite expressing regret over the timing of the party’s position, Burnham explicitly stopped short of describing the events on the ground as genocide. This distinction remains a significant point of contention in political discourse surrounding the conflict, with various figures and organisations utilising or avoiding the term to define the severity of the humanitarian situation.

The original episode featuring Burnham was published on 9 July, with a “Revisited” version subsequently released to allow for further reflection on the party’s handling of the issue. The podcast conversation was edited from a discussion between Crerar and Guardian colleague Kiran Stacey, providing a structured look at the political pressures facing the party during that period.

The Guardian has also published an exclusive written interview with Burnham, alongside an investigation by Anna Isaac into Nigel Farage and Reform UK, linking these pieces to the broader political coverage surrounding the Gaza conflict. The comments underscore the ongoing internal and external challenges Labour faces in reconciling its policy positions with the complex realities of the region.