Green candidate calls out genocide as Burnham sits on fence

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) has written to the candidates in the Makerfield by-election – but only the Green Party candidate has responded so far. Specifically, they’re asking what each candidate will do to “uphold the rights of Palestinian people”. Green Party candidate Sarah Wakefield has now responded, seemingly making her the first to do so. Front-runner Andy Burnham, meanwhile, is still refusing to get off the fence.

Green Party candidate steps up

The letter from PSC reads:

Millions of people across Britain are rightly horrified by Israel’s ongoing atrocities against Palestinians. The strength of these sentiments is seen not just in the national marches for Palestine – the largest sustained mass mobilisation in Britain since the suffragettes – but also in elections and polling. For example, polls show that the overwhelming majority of people, including in the North West, oppose Israel’s military actions in Gaza, with more than 80% of voters believing that Israel is guilty of genocide.

A vast array of experts and human rights organisations, including the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry and the International Association of Genocide Scholars, have conducted their own investigations and found that Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people amount to genocide. A similar consensus exists regarding Israel’s apartheid against Palestinians, including the July 2024 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling, which found Israel to be in violation of international prohibition against apartheid.

Israel’s genocide in Gaza continues – with almost 1,000 Palestinians violently killed by Israel since the so-called “ceasefire” began, alongside ongoing severe restrictions on aid and life-saving organisations. So too does Israel’s ethnic cleansing, military occupation, and apartheid. In light of this, if you are elected as the Member of Parliament for Makerfield, will you:

1. Act, if the findings of the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry amongst others that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza and the July 2024 ICJ ruling that Israel is guilty of the crime of apartheid against Palestinians?
2. Support a total ban on trade with Israel’s illegal settlements and all other trade that aids or assists Israel’s unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory?
3. Support comprehensive sanctions on Israel, including a full arms embargo?
4. Support the reversal of the authoritarian use of public order and anti-terror legislation to suppress protest in support of Palestinian rights?

In the interests of transparency, we will publish this letter and any replies we receive. We would also be happy to meet to discuss these matters with you.

Answers

In a refreshing change of pace for a UK politician, Wakefield has actually provided answers to the above questions (emphasis added):

Thank you for getting in contact with me about this. It’s so important that all politicians are held accountable on this issue.

Opposing genocide is not optional. For those of us seeking political power, using that power to work to end the ongoing genocide in Palestine is not optional. Under international law, all countries have a duty to actively work to prevent genocide – but in this country our responsibility goes beyond that.

The UK government has been more than a bystander to the genocide in Gaza. It has been, and remains, complicit. It sells weapon components to Israel, has provided diplomatic cover for Israel, and refuses to accept the overwhelming expert consensus that what is being inflicted on the Palestinian people is, indeed, a genocide.

I unequivocally accept the findings of the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry and numerous other expert bodies that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. I additionally accept the 2024 ICJ ruling that Israel is guilty of the crime of apartheid against Palestinians.

I fully support a total ban on trade with Israel’s illegal settlements and all other trade that aids or assists Israel’s unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory. I also support comprehensive sanctions on Israel, including a full arms embargo. Without doubt, I support reversing the authoritarian use of public order and anti-terror legislation to suppress protest in support of Palestinian rights.

Every politician who sincerely believes in human rights, international law, and the sanctity of human life should be able to say the same.

Labour let downs

Wakefield has been clear on her stance. Front-runner Andy Burnham, meanwhile, said the following when asked if Israel’s actions constitute a genocide:

I can’t judge things of that enormity from where I am as mayor of Greater Manchester.

When politicians refuse to commit to a position, it’s because they don’t want to be held to it later. Going off the actions of Labour, we have to assume Burnham doesn’t want to stand up to Israel because he knows his Labour colleagues won’t stand behind him. Going off his own actions, we have to assume he’s probably in agreement with them:

https://t.co/0qbagSvIYp https://t.co/yCaxsotv6n

— Zack Polanski (@ZackPolanski) June 9, 2026

His stance on the genocide isn’t the only time Burnham has proven to be non-committal or right-wing in this by-election campaign either:

• Burnham ‘to support’ Mahmood’s racist immigration changes.
• Burnham is silent on wealth taxes – not a promising sign from potential PM.
• Andy Burnham’s role with Iain Duncan Smith’s think tank just shows he’s more of the same.
• Burnham WON’T back proportional representation this parliament.
• Shapeshifting Burnham ditches trans rights to panic-grab Reform votes.
• Burnham slammed for saying he won’t renationalise Thames Water.

Free Palestine

Before the genocide, Israel subjected Palestinians in Gaza to decades of apartheid. And they did so with support of the political establishment in Western countries like the UK.

For many of us, this status quo cannot continue. And if politicians like Andy Burnham don’t learn that lesson, they’re going to have a problem come the next general election.

Featured image via Christopher Furlong (Getty Images)