Burnham Backs UK Ban on Palestine Action Amid Legal Scrutiny
(MENAFN) British Prime Minister Andy Burnham defended the government’s decision to prohibit Palestine Action on Wednesday, maintaining that the move resulted from a “rigorous and evidence-based process” and received parliamentary approval.
Burnham was responding to a question from Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) MP Claire Hanna, who expressed concerns about the availability of Sally Rooney’s books in the UK and asked him to reconsider the ban. He declined to discuss the matter in greater detail because legal proceedings remain underway.
“We agree the scenes from Gaza and the West Bank are deeply distressing,” he said, noting that Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband had taken steps in response to developments threatening the prospects of a two-state solution.
“We won't stand by when the viability of the two-state solution is threatened, and he's made a further statement in relation to that this week,” he said.
Turning to the decision to outlaw Palestine Action, Burnham reiterated that the government had followed a “rigorous and evidence-based process” that was presented to and endorsed by parliament.
“The matter is a live legal case, so I won't comment further than that,” he added.
His comments come as debate continues over the British government’s handling of pro-Palestinian activism and ongoing legal challenges to the ban on the direct-action group.
Burnham was responding to a question from Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) MP Claire Hanna, who expressed concerns about the availability of Sally Rooney’s books in the UK and asked him to reconsider the ban. He declined to discuss the matter in greater detail because legal proceedings remain underway.
“We agree the scenes from Gaza and the West Bank are deeply distressing,” he said, noting that Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband had taken steps in response to developments threatening the prospects of a two-state solution.
“We won't stand by when the viability of the two-state solution is threatened, and he's made a further statement in relation to that this week,” he said.
Turning to the decision to outlaw Palestine Action, Burnham reiterated that the government had followed a “rigorous and evidence-based process” that was presented to and endorsed by parliament.
“The matter is a live legal case, so I won't comment further than that,” he added.
His comments come as debate continues over the British government’s handling of pro-Palestinian activism and ongoing legal challenges to the ban on the direct-action group.
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