Andy Burnham’s government rejects MPs’ call to recognise Gaza genocide
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office main building
Amer Sultan reports in The New Arab on 26 July 2026:
The new British government has rejected calls from dozens of parliamentarians to recognise Israel’s war on Gaza as genocide and impose sanctions on the country.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government, which took office last Monday, is facing pressure to match its stated commitment to international law with concrete action by recognising what MPs describe as Israel’s genocide against Palestinians and holding Israeli leaders accountable.
Last week, 80 members of the House of Commons and House of Lords sent Burnham a letter urging him to recognise the findings of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which concluded that genocide had occurred in the Gaza Strip.
The letter, signed by parliamentarians from across the political spectrum, urged the government to “fundamentally change its position in a way that supports the rights of the Palestinian people and prevents Israel’s ongoing violations of international law”.
The initiative was led by Labour MP Kim Johnson.
The lawmakers said the new prime minister had “an opportunity to genuinely open a new chapter” in Britain’s policy towards Israel’s war on Palestinians by implementing international law and the rulings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).