Andy Burnham says Israel would be his first overseas visit as UK PM if elected

Following the resignation of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday, Labour MP Andy Burnham announced his bid to succeed him, thrusting the former Greater Manchester mayor into the spotlight as the frontrunner in the race to lead the Labour Party and potentially become Britain's next prime minister.

As Burnham's leadership bid gathers momentum, a decade-old clip of him discussing Israel has resurfaced and drawn fresh attention. In the video, he says, “The first foreign visit I would do as leader of the Labour Party would be to Israel,” prompting renewed scrutiny of his positions on Israel, Gaza and antisemitism.

He has repeatedly spoken out against antisemitism, including within his own party. In 2018, he called on Labour to take a firmer stance on antisemitism.

A year later, while Labour was still led by Jeremy Corbyn, Burnham told the Board of Deputies at Manchester Town Hall that it was “inconceivable to me that a party which has prided itself on its record on racism could have become in embroiled in an antisemitism crisis.”

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“Racism needs to be dealt with firmly, quickly, and decisively. I’m afraid that this hasn’t been the response so far, and I hope, from this point forward, this has been understood,” he said.

Support for Jewish community 

Burnham was mayor of Manchester when two people were killed and several others wounded in an antisemitic terror attack outside a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur in 2025.

He was among the first public officials to comment on the incident, telling BBC Radio Manchester that a “serious incident” had occurred.

In a recent interview with Jewish News, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy described Burnham as a “great ally” in the fight against antisemitism and someone who would stand with the Jewish community "always".

“He believes in justice, and is acutely aware of the need for a safe homeland for Jewish people, and the particularly unique historical reasons why Israel came into existence,” she said.

Burnham has also actively supported Holocaust remembrance and education initiatives.

In January 2026, he attended a Holocaust Memorial Day service with the Jewish Representative Council of GM & Region.

The organisation said Burnham “reaffirmed his commitment to standing firmly against anti-Jewish racism, invoking the words of the late Mancunian Holocaust Survivor Ike Alterman BEM, who taught us that hate is a disease.”

Differences over Gaza ceasefire

Council chair Mark Adlestone praised Burnham's longstanding relationship with local Jewish organisations and his support during difficult periods.

However, Adlestone also told Jewish News that it would be “disingenuous to suggest there have not been times when there have been disagreements.”

He cited Burnham's support for a ceasefire after October 7, while hostages remained in captivity, as one example of those differences.

A week after the attack, on October 13, 2023, Burnham released a statement condemning “without reservation the appalling attacks in Israel by Hamas".

“Nothing justifies the taking of innocent lives in such a barbaric and indiscriminate manner,” he said.