Andy Burnham Israel Controversy: Resurfaced Al Jazeera Clip Sparks Labour Leadership Debate
June 23, 2026
IF ISRAEL IS YOUR FIRST PRIORITY, SHOULD BRITONS TRUST YOU TO LEAD BRITAIN?
A resurfaced clip of Andy Burnham has reignited controversies around the Labour politician’s true affiliation. In the clip, Burnham says that, if elected UK Prime Minister, Israel would be his first overseas visit.
The timing could hardly be any worse.
Why would a future British prime minister choose Israel as their first destination while millions of Britons face crises at home?
Britain needs a prime minister.
Not a foreign policy ambassador for another state.
And voters are beginning to ask hard questions.
Choose wisely.
Source: @aljazeeraenglish
#AndyBurnham #LabourParty #UnitedKingdom #Politics #Palestine
English Script:
Andy Burnham: The first foreign visit I would do as leader of the Labor Party would be to Israel.
This decade-old clip is raising new questions over Andy Burnham’s stance on Israel, as he is expected to launch bid to challenge UK PM Keir Starmer’s leadership. Recently, Burnham declined to call events in Gaza a genocide during the Makerfield by election-campaign.
Interviewer: What would your approach be to foreign policy in terms of what’s going on in Gaza and the ongoing genocide there?
Andy Burnham: I was one of those who’s called for a ceasefire. Right now I’ve got the focus on the by-election. That is my focus.
Burnham joined the Labour Friends of Israel in 2015, the same year he unsuccessfully ran for labour leader and said he opposed the “spiteful” Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
But Burnham visited the occupied West Bank with Labour Friends of Palestine, three years before joining the Labour Friends of Israel parliamentary group.
He also described Benjamin Netanyahu’s election as Israel’s PM as “depressing”, and backed recognising Palestinian statehood as well as ending Israel;s occupation and Illegal Settlement building.
Following the October 7 attacks, which led to Israel’s onslaught in Gaza, Burnham called for a ceasefire, putting him at odds with Starmer’s position at the time.
An organisation that monitors candidates’ position on Palestine said Burnham’s views are unclear.
Recent polling shows Burnham is the top choice for leader among Labour Party members with 59% saying they would choose him over Starmer.
