Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has launched a blistering attack on Sir Keir Starmer's likely successor, Andy Burnham, accusing him of cynically exploiting the Israel-Hamas war to win back far-Left voters. In an exclusive article for the Express, Tice argues that Burnham's recent video criticising Starmer's stance on Gaza reveals the kind of Prime Minister he would be – one obsessed with foreign affairs at the expense of domestic priorities.
Burnham's Video: A Calculated Move
Tice writes that Burnham's three-minute video is the 'best indication yet of the type of Prime Minister we are about to get.' He claims Burnham will 'cynically stop at nothing to exploit the tragic events of the Middle East to win back far-Left Labour voters from the Green Party.' The Reform deputy leader describes the move as 'desperate' and says it shows Burnham does not understand how the average Brit thinks.
Tice criticises Burnham for prioritising Israel over issues like the cost of living, illegal immigration, and the broken NHS. 'Brits will be wondering today why the first act of the incoming Prime Minister has been to appease the crazies by jumping on their hateful bandwagon,' he writes.
Appeasement of Anti-Israel Crowd
Tice argues that the 'anti-Israel crowd cannot be appeased,' noting that even Labour's recognition of a Palestinian state was immediately met with demands for further punitive measures. He claims that Starmer's only mistake was pandering to 'insipid lefty backbenchers' obsessed with a foreign affairs issue thousands of miles away.
The Reform deputy leader links the Labour leadership's stance to rising anti-Jewish racism in the UK, which he says has brought 'international shame on our country.' He also points to the election of so-called 'Independents' on the single issue of Gaza, which he says has 'fuelled sectarian politics.'
Risk of Trade Dispute with the US
Tice warns that Burnham's promise to consider a trade ban with Israeli settlements risks a major trade dispute with the United States. 'He ought to be reminded that the US has justifiably legislated to block trade with those countries and businesses which discriminate against Israel,' Tice writes.
The article concludes with a stark warning: 'The UK is today regarded as a basket case. Once revered as a nation, we have become a source of ridicule. The student style gesture politics of successive Labour prime ministers amounts to little more than a race to the bottom. This madness must end.'
