The charity said ‘Keir Starmer witnessed 73,000 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces’. Photograph: Mohammed Saber/EPA
Government – which provides significant portion of charity’s funding – is understood to have demanded an explanation
The charity Save the Children has angered the government with a social media post marking Keir Starmer’s impending exit from Downing Street.
The organisation suggested on X that the outgoing prime minister was complicit in the deaths of thousands of civilians in the Israel-Gaza war.
On Tuesday, it posted a mocked up picture of a commemorative blue plaque, which read: “History will not forget complicity. Keir Starmer witnessed 73,000 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces, including 21,000 children, and kept supplying arms to Israel.”
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Save the Children is part of a coalition of 17 humanitarian organisations who issued a joint statement on Wednesday calling on the incoming prime minister, Andy Burnham, to take “decisive action on Gaza and the occupied West Bank” when he takes office next week.
Among its central demands is the complete suspension of arms sales to Israel and the imposition of trade sanctions until alleged breaches of international law are brought to an end.
The group, which includes ActionAid and Amnesty International, also wants the government to publish its response to the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on aid provision in Gaza and set out a “clear timetable for implementing its recommendations”.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.Genocide denying UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy says that UK is suspending 30 of 350 arms licences to Israel. He also confirms the UK government’s support for Israel’s Gaza genocide and the UK government and military’s active participation in genocide.Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
An ‘apology’ issued by Andy Burnham over the Labour party’s response to the Israeli genocide is “meaningless” unless followed by an end to arms sales to Israel, Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) has said. This includes components for the F-35 combat aircraft that Israel has used extensively in its attacks in Gaza, Iran and Lebanon.
In a three-minute piece to camera, published alongside an exclusive story with the Guardian, the likely next Labour leader stated: “I know many people feel that at the start of Israel’s military action in Gaza, my part didn’t get it right and I am sorry about that. The response has too often not been good enough. We need to do better.”
The MP for Makerfield continued, “We’ve got to do more to put pressure on the Israeli government … Yes, we have taken some important steps … But let’s be honest, the UK was too slow to call for a ceasefire. And we must now do more to strengthen our approach.”
On Israeli war crimes during the almost-three year genocide in Palestine, he said “I have been absolutely appalled by what I’ve seen and read about the destruction of Gaza. There’s increasing evidence that war crimes appear to have been committed.”
Burnham added, “There must be accountability for the depth of the suffering the people of Gaza have experienced. Ultimately, however, it must be for the international courts to determine, rather than politicians.”
Commenting, Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) Research Coordinator, Sam Perlo-Freeman said:
“It is a cynical move by Burnham to issue a non-apology for the Labour government’s many outrages during Israel’s ongoing genocide, while throwing us a red herring about the timing of ceasefire calls. His ‘apology’ is meaningless unless it is followed, if and when Burnham becomes PM, by a total ban on arms sales to Israel, with no exceptions or excuses.
“Burnham’s public relations push is designed to distract from the fact that Britain has, and remains, a vital cog in Israel’s war machine; whether in the F-35 programme, used by Israel to bombard Gaza, Iran and Lebanon, turning a blind eye to the 2,000+ Brits fighting in Gaza, drone component exports, or hosting Israelis who incite genocide – such as President Herzog.
“In hedging his language around the undeniable evidence of systematic war crimes by the Israeli government, Burnham is carefully avoiding triggering a legal duty to immediately halt arms sales. That in itself should ring alarm bells.
“Accountability means, among other things, ending the supply murder weapons to a genocidal regime and urgently investigating the over-2,000 Britons who took part in the organised, wanton slaughter of Palestinians, which the Met has so far refused to do. A Burnham government can also act to investigate how and why the current government allowed weapons to be unlawfully shipped to Israel via Belgium. But will it?
“All this points towards continued gaslighting by the next Labour government – albeit with new window dressing – in a desperate attempt to claw back the progressive vote.”
UK Labour MP Andy Burnham is seen following a media interview in London on July 2, 2026. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
“Andy Burnham knows that war crimes are being committed in Gaza, but has he got the courage to do anything about it?” asked the Greens’ deputy leader.
Labour MP Andy Burnham, who is on track to become Britain’s next prime minister following Keir Starmer’s resignation last month, apologized Thursday for his party’s initial response to Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza—but critics said his circumspect atonement fell short of the mark.
“Let me start by saying the unbearable suffering in Gaza is a scar on our collective conscience,” Burnham, the erstwhile Manchester mayor who won last month’s Makerfield by-election, said in a three-minute video. “It’s completely unacceptable that innocent Palestinians, including children, continue to be killed, that there’s still a humanitarian crisis with too little aid getting in, and that the Israeli military continues to expand the area it controls in Gaza.”
“We’ve got to do more to put pressure on the Israeli government,” he asserted. “The response has too often not been good enough. We need to do better. Yes, we have taken some important steps. These include recognizing the Palestinian state, placing sanctions on Israeli ministers, and imposing waves of sanctions on violent settlers and the organizations that support them.”
First part of this statement by @andyburnham is welcome, but it's spoiled by trying to appease the genocidal Zionist lobby with the obligatory condemnation of Hamas and accepting Zionist propaganda that anti-Semitism makes British Jews feel unsafe.
“But let’s be honest, the UK was too slow to call for a ceasefire, and we must now do more to strengthen our approach,” Burnham continued. “Israel continues to violate the ceasefire agreement, killing innocent Palestinians. We’re seeing a surge in settler violence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and the continued expansion of illegal settlements, displacing Palestinian communities.”
The lawmaker accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government of “clearly attempting to make a two-state solution impossible.”
“That’s why we need to do more, which includes looking at further sanctions, both on those involved in the violence in Gaza, but also looking at measures to ban trading goods with illegal settlements,” he said.
“There’s increasing evidence that war crimes appear to have been committed,” Burnham added. “There must be accountability for the depth of the suffering the people of Gaza have experienced. Ultimately, however, it must be for the international courts to determine, rather than politicians.”
While some Zionist UK MPs denounced Burnham’s comments as anti-Israel, Burnham’s pledge of a “fair and balanced approach” to Israel and Palestine, his placing of the onus on courts and not elected officials, and the fact that he did not say the word “genocide” in his apology drew criticism from Palestine defenders.
“Gaza has now endured more than 1,000 days of genocide,” Green Party Leader Zack Polanski said in response to the video. “Andy Burnham must answer: As prime minister, will he end Britain’s participation in genocide or continue it?”
Deputy Green Leader Mothin Ali told The Guardian that Burnham is hiding behind international courts “because admitting that the British government knows war crimes are being committed would trigger a legal duty to immediately halt arms sales.”
Andy Burnham knows that war crimes are being committed in Gaza, but has he got the courage to do anything about it?Britain must halt arms sales to Israel immediately
Adnan Hmidan, chair of the Palestinian Forum in Britain, said that Burnham’s “recognition that far stronger action is needed to confront the grave violations committed against the Palestinian people” is an important step.
“But the scale of devastation, killing, starvation, and forced displacement inflicted upon Gaza demands far more than acknowledgement,” he continued. “It requires courageous political action.”
“As an increasing number of legal experts and international human rights organizations have concluded, we hope more British political leaders will recognize that the atrocities committed in Gaza constitute genocide under international law, and will support the measures necessary to ensure accountability, end impunity, and uphold international law without exception or double standards,” Hmidan added.
British political commentator Saul Staniforth said on social media that “it was clear from the very start that what Israel was doing in Gaza was genocide… and yet over two-and-a-half years later, Burnham still refuses to call it genocide. Why? Because if he did, he’d have to take action as PM.”
“Burnham only made his statement yesterday on Gaza because of pressure, and meaningful action by a government led by him will only happen because of pressure,” Staniforth added.
Queen Mary University of London politics professor Tim Bale told Al Jazeera that Burnham is “trying to repair damage, but his remarks are probably more symbolic than substantive.”
Noting that Labour has “only just recovered from the accusations of antisemitism that were swirling around it during the [Jeremy] Corbyn era,” Bale asserted that “the UK is already at the edge of what it’s likely to do and say on Israel.”
“It also has to worry about maintaining relations with a profoundly pro-Israel US administration,” the professor added.
Keir Starmer explains that UK is participating defensively in Trump and Israel’s criminal war for Israel’s genocidal expansion in Iran and states that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says Sundown Syndrome is a dead givaway and he wishes someone would Lock Him Up
Reports that McSweeney’s successor Josh Simons will head Burnham’s No 10 policy unit suggest this is part of a wider ruling-class project to reassemble as much of the Mandelson-McSweeney project as possible and ensure it remains the dominating influence in government.
Simons headed Labour Together when it hired private investigators to smear and intimidate journalists who had helped expose its financial misconduct, notably Holden but including the Morning Star’s Andrew Murray.
It would be the height of folly for Burnham to give Simons a political role, whether or not this was the gentlemen’s agreement that saw Simons resign his Makerfield seat to let Burnham run.
It would reinforce the “jobs for the boys” impression of government by clique and confirm that the system looks after its own, no matter how outrageous their behaviour.
It would show that the disgraced think tank is still in charge …
dizzy: Looks like we have no change apart from the front man. I am disappointed in those that abandoned their stated intentions and contributed to achieving this … It wasn’t without warning, was it?
Activists stage a demonstration near the Houses of Parliament asking the government to reject any proposed plans for Rosebank oilfield. Photograph: Denise Baker/Getty Images
Critics debunk economic claims as research finds Rosebank development would produce estimated 250m tonnes of CO2
Scores of Labour MPs have urged the prospective prime minister Andy Burnham to rule out the “tin-eared” and “deluded” development of the Rosebank oilfield in the North Sea, which new research indicates would produce as much carbon dioxide as the UK does in 10 months.
Estimates seen by the Guardian show that Rosebank, which mainly contains oil, would produce about 250m tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime. That is the equivalent of about 70% of the UK’s annual emissions.
Last week’s record-breaking heatwave, which may return next week as the weather turns hotter again, showed the folly of exploiting the field, according to many MPs, who argue it would not bring down the price of fuel and would do little for the UK’s economy.
Mike Reader, the Labour MP for Northampton South, said: “Opening up the North Sea would be tin-eared while we’re dealing with record-breaking heat, and the second energy spike in four years caused by our over-reliance on oil and gas. Anyone who thinks this is a good time to take our focus off clean, secure power is frankly deluded.”
Nigel Farage urges you to ignore facts and reality and be a climate science denier like him and his Deputy Richard Tice. He says that Reform UK has received £Millions and £Millions from the fossil fuel industry to promote climate denial and destroy the planet.Donald Trump urges you to be a Climate Science denier like him. He says that he makes millions and millions for destroying the planet, Burn, Baby, Burn and Flood, Baby, Flood.Orcas comment on killer apes destroying the planet by continuing to burn fossil fuels.
