Less than a month into office, British PM Andy Burnham is facing backlash over several Cabinet appointments, with pro-Palestinian activists urging his government to impose sanctions on Israel.
Among the appointments that have drawn criticism is James Purnell, whom Burnham selected as his new chief of staff. His role as chair of the Labour Friends of Israel (LFI) group from 2002 to 2004 has sparked anger.
In an interview with Anadolu, Councillor Jonathan Purcell, a deputy leader of Greens in Tower Hamlet Council, said it’s “absolutely clear” where Burnham’s priorities lie.
“James Purnell is the former Labour Friends of Israel chair. If that isn’t a demonstration of where he stands on this issue, then I don’t know what is,” he said and urged Burnham to stop selling arms to Israel.
Burnham must also immediately sanction ministers and remove the opacity around the spy flights taking off from RAF Akrotiri, a British air base in the Greek-administered Cyprus, over Gaza, he said.
Kerie Anne, branch secretary of Tower Hamlet Unison, the largest trade union in the UK, said she expects a “strong stand” on Israel from this government.
“Give Israel a really hard time boycotting divestment and sanctions because of its genocidal activity,” she added.
The British government has been “far too soft” on Israel, and it’s just “unacceptable,” she said.
For Anne, the UK needs to institute a serious boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) regime on Israel.
“We are championing BDS, but we need our government to lead it at a national level,” she noted.
John McLoughlin, a local British pensioner, criticised the ongoing financial ties with Israel, saying it is “bitterly disappointing.”
“I’m now a pensioner, I am receiving pension from the pension funds. I don’t believe that our pension fund should be invested in companies committing genocide,” he added.
He claimed that the UK needs a change in policy about Palestine, and expressed that he is also “very concerned” that Burnham, like the previous prime minister, is talking about increased spending on arms, and that includes armaments that go to Israel.
