Pro-Palestinian campaigners delivered a petition carrying more than 55,000 signatures to Downing Street on Wednesday, urging new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to hold Israel accountable over its actions in Gaza and change the policy pursued by his predecessor.
Representatives of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and the British Palestinian Committee, accompanied by prominent British actor Juliet Stevenson, delivered the petition to the prime minister’s office.
Ryvka Barnard, deputy director of the PSC, said campaigners wanted Burnham’s government to uphold international law, defend Palestinian rights and pursue accountability for what the group described as Israel’s continuing genocide in Gaza.
Sara Husseini, director of the British Palestinian Committee, said the new government should not adopt a “piecemeal approach” to what campaigners describe as occupation, apartheid and genocide.
She said the petition demonstrated that a significant section of the British public would be watching closely to see whether the change in government produced meaningful policy changes and greater accountability for Israel’s conduct.
Stevenson, a longstanding critic of Israeli actions in Gaza, called on Burnham to break with the approach of former prime minister Keir Starmer, whom she accused of having “colluded” with Israel’s actions.
The petition comes as pro-Palestinian organisations seek to increase pressure on Britain’s new government over its diplomatic, economic and security relationship with Israel.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 73,470 Palestinians have been killed and 174,540 wounded since the war began in October 2023. Palestinian authorities say women and children account for a large proportion of the casualties and that around 90% of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure has been destroyed.
The campaigners are seeking a broader change in British policy under Burnham, arguing that the transition in government provides an opportunity for London to adopt a tougher position on Israel and pursue accountability under international law.