The short version
- Labour grassroots groups are circulating motions demanding the government recognize Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide and impose a full arms embargo.
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham has apologized for past handling of the crisis but maintains that international courts, not politicians, should make legal determinations.
- Pressure is mounting from within the party and from over 100 British and French diplomats who are calling for tougher measures against Israel.
The upcoming Labour Party conference is poised to become a focal point for internal dissent regarding the United Kingdom’s policy toward Israel and Gaza. Grassroots organizations, including Momentum, Labour & Palestine, the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy, and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, are coordinating efforts to pressure Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Their objective is to force a decisive break from the diplomatic approach established under his predecessor, Keir Starmer. These groups aim to compel the government to formally recognize Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide and to implement a comprehensive arms embargo.
Central to this campaign is a model motion being distributed among party members for submission at the conference. The proposed text demands that ministers accept the findings of a United Nations commission of inquiry, which has concluded that genocide is occurring in Gaza. Beyond recognition, the motion calls for broad sanctions and a ban on any trade that aids or assists Israeli military operations in Gaza or supports its presence in occupied Palestinian territories. This includes prohibiting commerce with Israeli settlements. The groups frame this push as an early test of Burnham’s commitment to allowing open debate within the party.
Prime Minister Burnham has acknowledged shortcomings in the previous administration’s response, stating that Labour had not handled the situation correctly and that the UK was too slow to call for a ceasefire. He has expressed a willingness to increase pressure on the Israeli government. However, he has consistently stopped short of using the term genocide to describe events in Gaza. Burnham argues that while there is increasing evidence of war crimes, the determination of genocide is a legal matter reserved for international courts rather than political leaders.
This refusal to adopt the specific terminology has generated frustration across various segments of the Labour Party, extending beyond its left wing. Several members of parliament have indicated that while they appreciate Burnham’s apology for past failures, they expect him to go further by explicitly acknowledging the genocide designation. The tension reflects a broader struggle within the party to reconcile diplomatic caution with the demands of its base and progressive voters who have expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s stance.
The political stakes are heightened by recent polling data suggesting that concerns over Palestine were a primary factor for many voters who switched their allegiance from Labour to the Green Party. Research commissioned by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Friends of the Earth found that 67 percent of these defectors cited the issue as a key reason for leaving. Burnham’s leadership team is reportedly keen to win back these progressive constituents, viewing the conference outcome as critical to rebuilding trust with voters who deserted the party during Starmer’s tenure.
Support for tougher measures is not limited to domestic activists. More than 100 British and French diplomats have written to Burnham and French President Emmanuel Macron, urging both governments to take stronger action against Israel. Their recommendations include suspending arms transfers and implementing additional trade restrictions. Emily Thornberry, a prominent Labour figure, has also called for a ban on imports from the occupied West Bank, citing growing concerns over the expansion of Israeli settlements. This diplomatic pressure adds weight to the arguments being made by grassroots campaigners.
The current situation echoes events from the previous year, when the party leadership attempted to prevent motions on Palestine from being debated at the conference. That effort resulted in approximately 30 motions being struck off the agenda, leading to accusations that the party was stifling democratic debate. Despite these restrictions, delegates ultimately backed an emergency motion proposed by Unison, the largest trade union affiliated with Labour. That motion called for the government to use all reasonable means to prevent genocide and to fully suspend arms trade with Israel.
Campaigners argue that Burnham’s apology will be viewed as hollow if his administration does not take concrete steps to distance itself from Starmer’s policies. Leaders of Momentum and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign have warned that failing to act decisively could result in plummeting support and a lasting negative legacy for the prime minister. They contend that Burnham has an opportunity to demonstrate a clear shift in direction by aligning with the majority of the labour movement on this issue.
The UK government has indicated that further measures against Israel may be forthcoming, particularly in response to controversial settlement plans in the West Bank. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband stated that ministers would outline a comprehensive set of actions following Israel’s move ahead with these plans. However, it remains unclear whether these steps will meet the demands of those calling for an immediate and total arms embargo. The outcome of the conference debates will likely signal the direction of future UK policy in the region.
As the conference approaches, the Labour Party faces a critical juncture in defining its position on one of the most contentious issues of the current political era. The interplay between grassroots activism, diplomatic pressure, and executive caution will determine whether Burnham’s government adopts a more confrontational stance toward Israel. The resolution of this internal conflict could have significant implications for the party’s electoral prospects and its international standing.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- The Guardian World↗Burnham to face pressure at Labour conference to recognise Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide
