Speaking ahead of the party’s national conference in Liverpool, Burnham pledged that Britain needs to “believe again” and “have hope again”, framing the event, the October budget and a promised ten‑year plan as the cornerstone of his vision for a more stable United Kingdom.
Burnham acknowledged that members of the party’s left, including Momentum and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, are urging delegates to back a motion that would label Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide and call for a full arms embargo, putting pressure on the leadership to adopt a tougher stance on Israel.
Despite the pressure, Burnham said he expects the “vast majority” of delegates in Liverpool to support the recent policy shift announced by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, which includes a ban on goods from illegal West Bank settlements and a review of concerns surrounding the E1 tender process.
The leader highlighted that the conference will also showcase the government’s “reset” of relations with Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration, noting that the ban on settlement goods represents a concrete change that he believes delegates will welcome.
Burnham’s comments come as the Labour Party prepares to unveil its budget and a long‑term economic plan, both of which are intended to signal a new direction after a decade marked by Brexit‑related upheaval and foreign‑policy debates.