Andy Burnham Becomes UK PM, but Analysts Doubt Change on Gaza
Andy Burnham officially takes office as British prime minister after public pressure forced Keir Starmer to resign. While he promises a new direction, an analysis highlights his past ties and staff choices that suggest continuity rather than change, especially regarding Palestine.
On Monday, former Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham officially steps in as British prime minister after public pressure forced Keir Starmer to resign. The change comes as the governing Labour Party faces a massive slump in support.
Burnham has pledged to chart a new path focusing on internal unity and addressing working-class hardships. One of the key issues that has divided Labour for over a decade is Palestine. On July 9, Burnham posted a video on social media admitting Labour “didn’t get it right” on Gaza and needs to “do better.”
However, an analysis argues that significant change is unlikely. Burnham has been a member of Labour Friends of Israel since 2015 and described the BDS movement as “spiteful.” His staff choices also raise questions. He appointed James Purnell, former chair of Labour Friends of Israel and former CEO of lobbying firm Flint Global, as chief of staff. Flint Global’s clients include arms manufacturers, tech giants, and oil companies.
The article notes that Burnham’s apology on Gaza is part of a PR effort rather than a genuine shift. He still refuses to call the events in Gaza a genocide, despite at least 73,000 Palestinian deaths. Instead, he frames the issue as being too slow to call for a ceasefire, not as complicity in genocide. Thus, the machinery that supported Starmer’s policies remains in place, merely with a new spokesman.
