Andy Burnham: Why the Manchester bombing persuaded me to call for Israel-Hamas ceasefire

Andy Burnham had only been mayor of Greater Manchester for two weeks when Manchester Arena was attacked – and says it has shaped not only how he views the war between Israel and Palestine, but how he feels the Labour Party should respond

‘I understand the dangers of responding to the terrorist’s trap,’ says Andy Burnham (PA)

On Friday evening, Greater Manchester’s political leaders issued a unanimous, cross-party statement on the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. It was not, as some suggested, an opportunistic move. It was instead the product of careful deliberation by 12 people doing our best to find a balanced and unifying way forward for our different communities.

For my part, it sought to reflect painful lessons I have learnt from the three previous times in my career I have had to react to heinous acts of terrorism: in 2001, 2005 and 2017.

The evil of terrorism comes not just from the shock, fear and revulsion it creates in the moment, but also from the reaction it seeks. It craves a response in kind. It is perpetrated by those who want permanent conflict between people and a never-ending cycle of violence. This is why the best responses to it are often those which feel counterintuitive and are clear-eyed about the terrorist’s trap.